Blackberry Panna Cotta.
It’s blackberry season, and me and the lovely Mr G are becoming obsessed with collecting them from any bush we spot, and there are a lot of them where we live.
Once they’ve had a good wash, no soap, just lots of cold running water, they get packaged up and get to snuggle up tight in the freezer.
There’s only so much room in the freezer, so I use them in as many ways as possible, and this Blackberry Panna Cotta, is a wonderful and quick way to show off the berries, and make your guests think you’ve spent hours in the kitchen.
Making a quick blackberry puree is really easy, no heating required, or sugar added, which means there’s nothing but the natural flavours of the berries and not pips. But as always, if you don’t want to make your own, buy some and use this.
Go on, give it a go and enjoy your sweet life!
Frozen blackberries - optional.
What You Need
Approx. 450g Fresh or Frozen Blackberries to make 200ml Blackberry Puree - See Tip Box
250ml Double Cream
120ml Whole Milk
50g Castor Sugar
2tsp Gelatine Powder
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
I use frozen blackberries for the panna cotta
To Serve
Frozen Blackberries – Optional
How It’s Done
Make your own blackberry puree by placing all the blackberries into a food processor and blitzing it for a few minutes until it becomes mushy. – No need to defrost the blackberries if using frozen.
Place the blackberry mush into a fine mesh sieve and using the back of a spoon, push it through the sieve. Make sure to scrape the underside of the sieve to remove even more puree.
Weigh out 200ml of the blackberry puree. Don’t throw any extra away, keep it to use in other dishes – See Tip Box
Set the bowl with the 200ml blackberry puree aside until needed and throw away the leftover pulp from the sieve.
Pour the full fat milk into a small jug, sprinkle over the gelatine powder, stir and let it sit for 5 minutes letting it bloom – See Tip Box
Let the gelatine bloom before using it
Heat the cream in a saucepan until just below boiling point and then add the vanilla and the milk with the gelatine.
Continue to heat on a medium heat until the gelatine is all dissolved and the mixture starts to become thicker – use a whisk to constantly mix it.
Remove the mixture from the heat and add the puree, giving it a really good mix so it’s all mixed in.
Mix in the blackberry puree.
Take a clean fine mesh sieve, and pour the mixture in.
Use the back of a spoon to push the mixture through the sieve, remembering to scrape the underside of the sieve.
Sieving it a second time makes the panna cotta really smooth.
Pour the smooth panna cotta into serving dishes, and place them in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
Do not cover the pots with anything, if you do, condensation will form and drip into the mixture making them inedible and sloppy.
Once the panna cotta is set, and just before serving, place some frozen blackberries on the top.
Serve at room temperature but store them, uncovered, in the fridge.
Smooth and delicious
Tip Box
Blackberry Puree – 1) If you don’t want to make your own, then please buy some, but believe me, the way I make it, is so blooming easy, it’s really not worth paying for it.
2) Extra Blackberry Puree – If there’s any blackberry puree left over, don’t get rid of it.
The puree will keep for up to a week stored in the fridge, and even longer packaged in an air tight container in the freezer.
If you’re looking for ideas on how to use it, I use it to make blackberry ripple ice cream, drizzled over pancakes, in fruit smoothies. Use it as a flavour when making cakes or on sauces for pork of chicken.
Gelatine Bloom – Blooming gelatine is just a posh term for hydrating gelatine (in this case gelatine powder, but you can also buy sheets of gelatine). Hydrating gelatine in a cold liquid to soften it, activates its gelling properties, ensuring it dissolves smoothly in the recipe without clumping or lumps.
Serve at room temperature
