Recipe: Espresso Panna Cotta - light and luxurious

Espresson Panna Cotta by Mercy Fenton.
2½ leaves gelatin
100ml strong black coffee
100ml whole milk
300ml whipping cream
80g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla essence
Espresso Syrup
100ml strong black coffee
100g caster sugar
1 tbsp Kahlua or brandy
- 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.
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
- 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.