Winter Citrus Panna Cotta

Winter Citrus Panna Cotta

8 servings

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons orange flower water

2 tablespoons grappa

2 grapefruit and blood orange or mandarin orange or a combination of all three, peeled, sectioned, seeded; slice in between the membrane to have membrane free segments of citrus. 

Combine the citrus with the orange flower water and grappa and let marinate while you prepare the custard.

1/2 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped

Pinch salt

6 tablespoons sugar

2 cups cream

1 ½ cups milk

Canola oil or Pam

Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise with a small, sharp knife. Holding the end of the bean, scrape the seeds from the pod with the knife.

Mix the sugar with vanilla seeds. In a pot, combine the sugar, vanilla seeds, pinch of salt, 1 cup of the cream, the milk and bring just to the boil. Reserve.

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a bowl and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Stir until dissolved. Add the warm vanilla-cream mixture and whisk until blended completely. Whisk in 1 cup cold cream.

Lightly oil 8, 4 ounce aluminum cups or molds. Divide the panna cotta equally into the molds. Refrigerate 6-12 hours.

To serve, unmold on a dessert plate by inverting the cup and lightly shaking. Generously spoon the sauce over each custard before serving.