Cranberry curd, lemon curd, pastry cream…makes your mouth pucker.
6 Likes
Gorgeous colour!
1 Like
The color is possibly a little bit brighter looking since there are no yolks .
2 Likes
Cranberry caramelized sugar topping for this version of Panna cotta.
I posted this over on Random desserts but as it would make a festive holiday dessert, here it is.
Buttermilk Panna Cotta, adapted from Alexandra’s kitchen. She has noted that she no longer uses this recipe as it was too sweet. I cut the sugar in half and found that just about correct for my palate. Had I not been using buttermilk, I likely would have used a little less.
The cranberry juice , being unsweetened, requires a fair amount of sugar to make it pleasing, probably equal quantities by volume.
Both parts of the dessert can be made several days in advance and then combined. The buttermilk is a smooth texture but it is not as creamy tasting as one made with heavy cream and milk. I actually prefer it.
5 Likes
Just gorgeous!
How do you think it would fare set as a larger portion?
And what proportion of gelatin did you use?
ETA: What you think about lemon or berry or cranberry or other curd on top instead of caramel?
1 Like
The proportion was 1 cup buttermilk, 6T milk, divided, 3T sugar, 1t gelatin. This is from Alexandra’s Kitchen , a slightly larger quantity is also there. The above formula has the sugar cut in half.
I think it would probably work in a larger one bowl format and no reason why a curd could not be substituted for a caramel based topping. Or just served solo and have assorted toppings in the side, berries, etc. Any topping or none would likely be fine.
1 Like
I tested out a version for thanksgiving — trying to get to the flavor of mishti doi —- thick yogurt made from evaporated milk sweetened with winter jaggery and set in an earthen pot.
I’ll continue to play with it towards a thanksgiving dessert.
1 Like
If the sugar is not a very dark amber, it will be too sweet. A light colored caramel will only taste of sweet syrup, it has to be just about smoking to lose the sweetness.
Having said all that and fussed about with apple cider, cranberry juice, etc. , I really prefer it with berries!
Jaggery is the stage before purification, so it has molasses (like solid dark brown sugar).
I love the idea, but I think the panna cotta was already so flavorful because of the caramelized aspects, that any sauce would detract — crust or crumbs or even just a cookie or wafer alongside would add texture but not conflict with that intense flavor.
2 Likes
It would still have to be brought to the almost smoking point, it would be similar to using brown sugar rather than white. The molasses would turn the liquid brown but it would not decrease the sweet taste until dark amber colored. It works the same way as crème caramel.
I think it’s a moot point since we both prefer it without!
2 Likes
Thank you, I enjoy learning, and even if it’s moot now, it could always come in use another time!
2 Likes
Gingerbread toffee, looks something like the version sold at Soma in Toronto.
Yellow raisins and apricots soaking in rum sugar syrup. There is a soft Ceylon cinnamon quill and a vanilla bean in there as well. I will be adding additional raisins/apricots tomorrow depending on the absorption rate. I used a French rum with some orange undertones. This is from the Dutch Table, the raisins are generally served to the gentlemen and the apricots to the ladies. Recommended soak time is 4 weeks.
4 Likes
My Dutch friend has given us Rumtopf made with berries at Xmas a few times.
1 Like
Thanks for the reminder, I have a berry rumtopf in the pantry!
1 Like
4 posts were merged into an existing topic: Holiday Baking 2025
Date and nut chocolate “truffles”.
Almonds and medjool dates with vanilla and a bit of rum. And cocoa of course.
7 Likes
now I want rum balls.
I have condensed milk and graham cracker crumbs on hand so I am going to make these ones
https://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/st-croix/rum-balls-recipe/
I saw brigadeiros at the store recently and I’ve been wanting to try those for a while. Rum would go well there too!
What I made was actually a pretty healthy treat, by contrast
1 Like
There’s a brigadeiro shop here in Toronto, called Mary’s Brigadeiros that supplies brigadeiros to the Brazilian bakeries in Toronto, as well as a couple coffee shops in LdnOnt.
They’re pretty.
When it comes to eating little round treats, I tend to prefer rum balls, bourbon balls, and chocolate truffles!
I might also make apricot coconut balls this year. They were always on one family friends’ Boxing Day cookie spread.
