Chocolate Panna Cotta

The next time you need an easy, yet elegant make-ahead dessert, look no further than this recipe for Chocolate Panna Cotta. Luxuriously rich, a simple garnish of fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream are all you need for an impressive presentation.

Want to dress it up even more? Make a ruby red sauce by pureeing sweet, ripe raspberries with a splash of fresh lemon juice (add a touch of sugar if needed). I like to make large batches of raspberry puree to store in 8-ounce freezer-safe deli containers so I always have some on hand.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• immersion blender https://amzn.to/3g72zh1

• dutch-processed cocoa powder https://amzn.to/3rJJWGE

• unflavored granulated gelatin https://amzn.to/3rJaIyT

• sheet gelatin (any bloom strength is fine) https://amzn.to/2QXL8Xq

• custard cups https://amzn.to/3yL1FPE

• 8-ounce freezer-safe deli containers https://amzn.to/3uCKpIQ

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Chocolate Panna Cotta

makes 6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 tablespoon unflavored granulated gelatin (see notes)

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (see notes)

• 3 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 6 ounces mascarpone (or cream cheese)

• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur (optional)

• garnish: whipped cream, fresh fruit, chocolate curls, etc

Directions

1. Prepare six 6-ounce custard cups by using a paper towel to apply a very thin coat of neutral-flavored oil to the inside of the cups (no need if you don’t plan to unmold the panna cotta).

2. In a small bowl, combine gelatin and 1/4 cup of the milk, use a fork or small whisk tog combine well and break up clumps; set aside to “bloom” for at least 5 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and 1/2 cup milk until smooth.

4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the bloomed gelatin, cocoa mixture, and all remaining ingredients except optional liqueur; whisk constantly until it almost reaches a boil (don’t let it boil).

5. Remove from heat and stir in optional liqueur; if bits of unmelted chocolate or mascarpone remain, use immersion blender to smooth out mixture (or strain through a fine mesh sieve).

6. Pour mixture into prepared custard cups and chill for at least 6 hours before turning the panna cotta out of the cups (see notes below).

Notes

• Cover filled custard cups with plastic wrap if there are strong odors in your refrigerator.

• For best results, serve within 48 hours.

• Do not allow mixture to boil - that will lessen the effectiveness of the gelatin.

• I usually suggest bar chocolate over chips, but for this recipe, feel free to use your favorite high quality chocolate chips.

• You only need to oil the custard cups if you plan to unmold the panna cotta from the custard cups.

• If you’re in a hurry, the panna cotta will be firm enough to serve after just 4 hours of chilling, but it won’t be firm enough to unmold so plan to serve it in the custard cups.

• For reference: 1 packet of Knox gelatin contains about 2 1/2 teaspoons of gelatin (although the amount in each packet is very inconsistent).

• Three sheets of leaf gelatin can be substituted for the 1 tablespoon of granulated gelatin called for in this recipe. If using sheet gelatin, soak in cold water for 5-10 minutes and squeeze out excess water before adding in step #4 above.

adapted from Chef Jean-Pierre

Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

For me, there are few things more enjoyable than a simple bowl of pasta topped with the most delicious sauce made from ripe, fresh garden tomatoes. You can use just about any kind of tomatoes that are sweet and ripe, but I prefer Roma tomatoes because they contain a lot of tomato pulp and very little liquid. No need to peel or de-seed the tomatoes before cooking - a food mill will make quick work of that after cooking, and it’s so much fun to use!

Roma tomatoes are also called Italian plum tomatoes, sauce tomatoes, or paste tomatoes. As I said before, they contain a lot of tomato pulp and little liquid, making them a fantastic option for tomato sauce. The ones I most often find at grocery stores are oval-shaped, but farmer’s markets frequently have pear-shaped beauties. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Roughly chop the tomatoes (no need to peel) and cook them with the ingredients listed in the recipe below, stirring frequently, until soft and mushy (7-10 minutes).

Once the tomatoes are cooked, allow them to cool and then process them through a food mill to remove all the tough bits of skin. This is a step my kiddos used to love helping with. Throw those skins in the compost bin when you’re done.

I like my fresh garden tomato sauce to be on the thinner side, but you can certainly reduce the sauce on the stovetop to reach whatever consistency you desire.

The recipe written below will result in 3 to 3 1/2 cups of sauce. I like to store it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for longer storage.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• food mill https://amzn.to/33iBQYG

• garlic press https://amzn.to/3tkedtq

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Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

makes approximately 3 1/2 cups

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds ripe Italian Roma (plum) tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• splash of red wine (or red wine vinegar)

• optional: sprig of fresh basil

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook chopped tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and red wine (or vinegar), stirring frequently, until tomatoes soften completely and you can mush them with a wooden spoon (7-10 minutes).

2. Turn off heat and stir in optional basil sprig; allow tomatoes to cool enough so that they’re easy to handle (20-30 minutes).

3. Remove basil sprig and process tomatoes in a food mill to remove all the skins.

4. If your sauce is too thin, you can reduce it over medium heat until it reaches the consistency you like, otherwise, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week (or freeze for longer storage).

Notes

• For a little extra luxury, stir 1 tablespoon butter into hot sauce before serving.

• To freeze in glass jar, be sure to use a wide-mouth jar and leave 1 inch of headspace before freezing. Plastic freezer bags are also suitable - freeze them flat so the sauce will thaw quickly when needed.