White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Champagne-Spiked Coulis
Heather Baird
This toast-worthy dessert is a wonderful ending to Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner. Tart champagne-spiked red berry coulis is the perfect foil for ultra-rich and creamy white chocolate panna cotta.
For the panna cotta: In a saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over 1 cup of the half and half. Let stand 2 minutes. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook stirring constantly until gelatin is melted.
Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate. Stir until melted. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup of half and half, condensed milk and vanilla.
For the angled presentation (pictured) balance 4 oz. clear dessert glasses in an empty egg crate at an angle. Pour the panna cotta into the glasses until the liquid nearly reaches to top of the glass. Transfer to the refrigerator to set, about 4 hours or overnight.
For the coulis: In a saucepan, combine the strawberries, cranberries, sugar, and champagne. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar is melted and cook until mixture thickens slightly. Mixture is ready when all of the cranberries are burst (you can help this process along by pressing the berries against the side of the saucepan with a spatula). Remove from the heat and puree using an emulsion blender, or let cool 10 minutes before pureeing in a blender.
Place a sieve over a bowl and pour the berry mixture through to remove seeds. Use a rubber spatula to effectively press the puree through the sieve. Let cool completely at room temperature, 30-45 minutes. Stand panna cotta glasses upright and pour in the coulis. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Notes: If using the gold star sprinkles, add them just before serving. They are gelatin-based and will dissolve over time
The sweetness of the coulis can be adjusted if your berries are very tart. Add up to 1/4 cup additional sugar to taste.
Keyword christmas, entertaining, panna cotta, quick bread