Recipe: Espresso Panna Cotta - light and luxurious

Espresso Panna Cotta by Mercy Fenton

Panna Cotta

Ingredients

2½ leaves gelatin

100ml strong black coffee

100ml whole milk

300ml whipping cream

80g soft light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla essence

Espresso Syrup

Ingredients

100ml strong black coffee

100g caster sugar

1 tbsp Kahlua or brandy

Method

• Soak the gelatin in a bowl of cold water.
• Mix the coffee, milk and cream in a bowl, then pour about a quarter of the mix into a pan and put over a low heat.
• Add in the sugar and stir until it has dissolved, then remove from the heat.
• Squeeze out the gelatin sheets and add them to the heated cream.
• Stir until the gelatin has dissolved.
• Add to the remaining coffee, milk and cream mix.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Ladle it into 4 serving glasses and put in the fridge. Chill for 4 hours or overnight until set.
• To make the coffee syrup, simmer the coffee and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the sugar is syrupy.
• Stir in the Kahlua and cool. Just before serving, flood the top of each glass with a little syrup.

Coffee Biscuits

Ingredients

136 gr all-purpose flour

2½ tsp espresso powder

1½ tsp cornstarch

½ tsp bread soda

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

75gr brown sugar

85gr unsalted butter, softened

50gr granulated sugar

30gr free-range egg beaten

1½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

• In a bowl, mix together flour, espresso powder, cornstarch, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
• With the mixer on low, add in egg and vanilla.
• Return mixer to medium and mix until incorporated.
• Scrape sides if needed.
• With the mixer back on low, add dry ingredient mixture gradually until dough forms.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
• Pre-heat oven to 175C.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Form balls from approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough.
• Place on baking sheet — they spread a lot so don’t overcrowd, six per sheet is good. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are just barely golden
• Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes on baking sheet before removing and placing on wire rack to finish cooling. Store in airtight container.
• Serve with the panna cotta.
• You will have extra left over, which will keep well in an airtight container.