Hazelnut Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

The other dessert I prepared for my friend's Christmas party was this pana cotta. As usual I added some booze to make it suitable for the festive table:) The raspberry coulis is quite concentrated on the plate, so it may seem a little dark, but it tasted divine - just some sharpness to compliment the hazelnut's sweetness.

Hazelnut Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

For the panna cotta enough for 4 dariole moulds

3 gelatine leaves

200 ml milk

300 ml double cream

25 g sugar

60 ml Soplica Hazelnut ( it is a Polish Hazelnut vodka -36%, but it is the liquefied version of the Nutella:))

1 vanilla pod

1 heaped tbsp Nutella

For the raspberry coulis

15 g butter

60 g sugar

180 g raspberries

juice of 1/2 lemon

Soften the gelatine leaves in cold water.

In a heavy based saucepan, mix the milk, cream, sugar and gently simmer. Remove from the heat add the Nutella, vanilla seeds, gelatine leaves and Soplica to taste.

Stir until the gelatine has dissolved and pour into dariole moulds. Leave to cool, then place them into the fridge to set.

To make to raspberry coulis, place the butter and sugar in a saucepan over a gentle heat and allow the butter to melt and sugar to dissolve. Add the raspberries and lemon juice and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve. Allow to cool.

When the Panna Cotta is set (about 4 hours in the fridge), turn them out onto individual serving plates and spoon raspberry sauce all around. You can remove the excess liquid from the panna cotta if you wish...but I didn't want to waste any good part of it. 

Mocha Pots

We were invited for a Christmas party and was asked to supply the desserts. I wanted something new, refreshing, simple and quick dessert and I think I find the perfect one - of course only, if you like coffee. You can prepare this dessert in less than 15 minutes and it is delicious.

Mocha Pots

Ingredients to fill 4 ramekins

75 g good quality dark chocolate (min 65- 70% cocoa solids) broken into pieces, plus a little extra shaved with a potato peeler

12 g butter

2 large eggs at room temperature

40 g caster sugar

2-5 tbsp strong expresso (to taste)

100 ml double cream - to decorate

chocolate coated roasted coffee beans - to decorate - optional

In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter, stirring until smooth. Set aside and leave to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile place the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks from. Whisk in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at the time until the mixture is stiff an shiny.

Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture one at the time. Fold the egg-white mixture into the chocolate mixture a big spoonful at a time, then stir in the coffee( add half of the coffee to the mixture and taste....if you don't think it is "coffeey" enough add some more- you don't want the coffee to overpower the dessert but you want that nice coffee taste as well as the chocolate one).

Spoon the mixture into the ramekins or small cups, leaving room for some whipped cream.

Place the cream in a bowl and whisk lightly for 1-2 minutes ( you don't want stiff whipped cream texture, but we need to add some "body" for the cream). Spoon the cream over the top of the mocha pots, then wrap them in cling film or foil and place them into the fridge.

It is suitable to be placed into the freezer as well if you wish-> if you freeze it: To serve defrost overnight in the refrigerator then decorate with chocolate shavings and chocolate covered roasted coffee beans.