I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  On to the New Year!

Our family typically stays in on New Year's Eve.  We enjoy a variety of yummy treats and watch the ball drop in Times Square from the comfort of our home.  

Whether you're entertaining guests, or enjoying a quiet night in, this pomegranate topped panna cotta is sure to please. We'll enjoy this dessert one last time before we start what Hubby calls our "Mass Reduction Plan" on Jan 1.  Don't be fooled by the impressive presentation - this recipe is deceivingly simple to prepare.  Each layer needs to chill for 3 hours, so plan accordingly. 

Pomegranate Panna Cotta

serves 6-8

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Panna Cotta Layer:

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 1/4 teaspoon gelatin

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup sugar

Pomegranate Layer:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

• 1/4 cup boiling water

• 1 cup pomegranate juice

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish

Directions

To make panna cotta layer:

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and allow the gelatin to soften for 10 minutes.

2. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat milk, cream, and sugar together just until it starts to boil.

3. Remove from heat and add the softened gelatin mixture; stir until completely dissolved.

4. Stir in vanilla and distribute evenly into serving dishes.

5. Chill for 3 hours before making the pomegranate layer.

To make pomegranate layer:

1. Bring water to a boil; add gelatin and sugar; stir to dissolve completely.

2. Add pomegranate juice; cool mixture for 15 minutes before pouring on top of panna cotta layer.

3. Chill for another 3 hours.

4. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and serve.

Notes

• If using bottled pomegranate juice, don't shake the bottle - the sediment that settles at the bottom of the bottle can make the juice cloudy. 

• Also, don't be tempted to unmold this panna cotta recipe - it's very soft and is supposed to be served in a pretty glass.