Panna cotta with honey
SERVES 6
“Who doesn’t love a good custard? This version is one of the easiest desserts to make that isn’t just a bowl of fruit,” says Mattos. “What distinguishes it is the mixture of honey and cabernet vinegar on top – to cut through the creaminess and add some excitement – as well as a sprinkling of bee pollen.”
3 titanium-strength gelatine sheets
1 litre heavy cream
50 gm caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
60 ml (¼ cup) honey
2 tbsp cabernet vinegar
Sea salt flakes and bee pollen (see note), to serve
1 Soak gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften (20 minutes). Squeeze excess water from gelatine and set aside in a small bowl. Prepare an ice bath.
2 Bring cream and sugar to the boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat, add gelatine and stir to dissolve. Strain mixture into a heatproof bowl and set bowl in the ice bath to cool to room temperature.
3 Add vanilla to panna cotta base and mix well. Pour mixture into six 200ml ramekins or small bowls, leaving at least
1cm of space at the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to set (at least 3 hours).
4 When ready to serve, whisk honey and vinegar in a small bowl until well combined. Top each ramekin with a spoonful of the mixture, then finish with sprinkles of sea salt flakes and bee pollen.
Note Bee pollen is available from health-food shops.