04 Sep Roasted White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Peppered Sherry Caramel

When paging through my copy of Bibby’s Kitchen – The essence of good food by Diane Bibby, the first recipe I wanted to try was an obvious one! I love the sophisticated simplicity of a perfectly made panna cotta, and I was intrigued to try the peppered sherry caramel sauce.
The recipe did not disappoint! The panna cottas are deliciously rich with just the right amount of wobble, and the addition of roasted white chocolate is pure genius. A boozy hit of sherry, plus a little heat from the pepper tempers the sweet panna cottas perfectly.
This book is an absolute must-have for anyone with a love of cooking. Di’s passion for food shines through on every page and has truly inspired me to be more adventurous with my cooking. It includes a wide range of recipes from breakfast to breads, salads to suppers, soups to savoury bites, and of course my favourite – cakes and desserts!

Recipe reprinted with permission of the author.

Ingredients:

Makes 6

For the panna cotta:
80g white chocolate, roughly chopped
180 ml full cream milk
3½ gelatine sheets
400ml fresh cream
60ml castor sugar
5 ml vanilla extract or paste

For the peppered sherry caramel:
50g castor sugar
80ml dry sherry
a generous grinding of black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 140°C. Spread the chocolate onto a baking sheet. Roast for 16-18 minutes, turning the chocolate over several times until crumbly-looking with a caramel colour.
• Scrape the chocolate into a saucepan and add the milk. Bring the milk to a boil, then simmer for several minutes, whisking, until the chocolate is melted. A balloon whisk is best for this job. Once the consistency is smooth, remove from the heat and set aside.
• Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Heat the cream and castor sugar in a saucepan. Once the sugar is dissolved and the cream hot, remove from the heat. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine leaves and add to the cream mixture. Whisk thoroughly. Strain the chocolate mixture into the cream, add the vanilla and stir to combine. Divide the cream between 6 small moulds or pudding pots. Chill until firm, 3-4 hours.
• To make the caramel, heat the sugar in a saucepan, without stirring. Swirl the pan until the sugar is dissolved and amber-coloured. Add the sherry and boil on high heat to dissolve the caramel. Simmer for 3 minutes until syrupy. Add the black pepper and set aside to cool.
• To unmould the panna cottas, briefly dip the base of each mould into a shallow dish filled with boiling water. Invert onto serving plates and drizzle with the cooled caramel.