ROMANCE BLOSSOMS

IF YOU’RE PLANNING A VALENTINE’S DINNER, THIS DREAMY DESSERT COULD BE THE CHERRY ON TOP

I first tasted panna cotta when I worked in Turin more than 20 years ago. It’s quite hard to believe it wasn’t until my twenties, considering the dessert’s ubiquity today. Chef Giovanni would pour a little caramel into the bottom of the dariole moulds giving a result similar to creme caramel. This recipe is his, save for the lemon myrtle infusion. I have never found an equal to it in terms of the softness of the set. Panna cotta should be little more than cream: rich double cream, a fleck of vanilla and a whisper of gelatine, just enough to set it to a pleasant wobbly jelly. Good marriages, the ones made in heaven, often happen in springtime but there are blissful culinary unions to be had in summer. Cherries and cream are a fantastic expression of the season.

LEMON MYRTLE PANNA COTTA WITH POACHED CHERRIES Serves: 6 INGReDIENTS

650ml double cream 300g caster sugar

10 lemon myrtle leaves plus flowers for garnishing

2 leaves gelatin

2 tsp vanilla paste

2 cinnamon quills

40ml lemon juice

600g ripe cherries, halved with stones removed

METHOD

Combine cream, 80g of the sugar and lemon myrtle leaves in a medium-sized pot. Bring to the boil then simmer gently for 5 mins. Meanwhile soak gelatin in cold water. Once softened, drain well and add to the cream along with half of the vanilla. Stir well to dissolve gelatin then remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve into a jug. Pour into glasses and refrigerate overnight. Next, place 250ml water, the remaining sugar, cinnamon, remaining vanilla and lemon juice in a pot over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook gently for 5 mins. Add the cherries and cook for 1 min only. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until required. To serve, spoon cherries on to the panna cotta with a little of the syrup and scatter with lemon myrtle flowers.