Lemon Panna Cotta with Berry Sauce
This recipe is from my cookbook, Amy Table: Food for Family and Friends. It’s my variation on Sophia Loren’s Panna Cotta recipe, given to me by Bill Boggs. Bill was an original Food Network host with his show Bill Bogg’s Corner Table.
I had the audacity to think I could improve Sophia’s recipe. And I did. Grazie mille, Sophia!
Lemon Panna Cotta with Berry Sauce
Serves 6
Prep time: 45 minutes
Chill time: 6 hours to overnight
Make ahead: Both the Panna Cotta and the Berry Sauce can be made one day ahead. Store separately; top the Panna Cotta with Berry Sauce just before serving.
Tip: Use cream fraiche or sour cream with great results.
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 envelope (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Sauce
1 16-ounce bag frozen mixed berries, thawed, juices reserved
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons crème de cassis (black-currant liqueur), optional
Garnish: Assorted fresh berries, mint sprigs
Panna cotta:
Place 6 martini or wine glasses on a tray; set aside.
In a heavy saucepan combine milk, cream and vanilla extract. Using a small sharp knife, remove the peel from the lemon in long strips; add peel to cream mixture. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; let stand for 30 minutes. Strain to remove lemon peel; return strained mixture to saucepan.
Pour lemon juice into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Stir gelatin mixture into milk mixture. Stir in sugar. Cook and stir over low heat just until sugar and gelatin dissolve, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in crème fraîche. Divide among glasses. Cover; chill until set, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Sauce:
In a food processor or blender, puree the berries and juices, brown sugar, and crème de cassis. Pour mixture though a mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in sieve.
Assembly: Just before serving, spoon a little Berry Sauce over each Panna Cotta. Garnish with a handful of fresh berries and a mint sprig.
