Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 25 minutes, plus 4 hours setting
Cook time: 15 minutes
This recipe includes
Indonesian Vanilla Pods
Ingredients
For the panna cotta
• 4 gelatine leaves (3 if serving in glasses)
• 300ml double cream
• 150ml whole milk
• 60g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds
scraped (or 1 tsp LittlePod Vanilla Paste)
• 200g cooked beetroot, blitzed to a smooth puree
For the “blood” coulis
• 150g raspberries or mixed red berries
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water (optional, for a thicker finish)
For the vanilla syrup
• 50g caster sugar
• 50ml water
• 1 tsp LittlePod Vanilla Paste
To finish: fresh raspberries and small mint leaves
Chef's Notes
Vanilla’s job here is to round off the beetroot’s earthiness. Four leaves give a panna cotta firm enough to turn out cleanly.
Method
1. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes until soft.
2. Warm the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla together in a pan until the sugar dissolves and it is just below simmering – do not boil.
3. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and whisk it into the warm cream until fully dissolved.
4. Stir in the beetroot puree until the mixture is a smooth, even pink-red. Pass through a sieve for a silky finish.
5. Divide between 4–6 lightly oiled dariole or ring moulds (or glasses) and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
6. For the coulis, simmer the berries, sugar and lemon juice for 5 minutes until softened, then blitz and sieve. Stir in the cornflour slurry and return briefly to the heat for a thicker, more “blood-like” drip consistency. Cool completely.
7. For the vanilla syrup, simmer the sugar, water and LittlePod Vanilla Paste for 3–4 minutes until lightly syrupy. Cool.
8. To serve, dip each mould briefly in hot water and turn out onto a plate. Swirl the vanilla syrup around the base, spoon the coulis over the top so it “bleeds” down the side, and finish with raspberries and mint.