Lemon Panna Cotta

A couple of weeks ago I finally went to high tea with one of my friends after hearing about it for so long. I met this friend at the beginning of September and we instantly connected over our shared passion for food. Throughout the school year we would go out to various restaurants in Vancouver, always carefully selecting the type of cuisine and reading through reviews to make our final decision. My friend frequently went to high tea and kept telling me about it, but somehow each time we went out it was overlooked as a possibility. Unfortunately we knew that we had a limited amount of time together because my friend was graduating this year. Therefore, upon realizing that we literally had only a couple of days left to see each other we quickly made a reservation and went to high tea on a lovely Sunday afternoon.

The experience was perfect and did not disappoint. I had a great time in the company of my friend and she and I relished in the opportunity to take a break from our exam preparations. It was also nice to be able to look back and compare all of the food spots we had visited over the course of the year. We each ordered a tea and selection of their various menu items and made sure to sample the food in the same order so that we could enjoy each bite at the same time.

One of the dessert items was a panna cotta. I had never had panna cotta before but once I tasted it I understood it was a custard much like crème brûlée, only without the crunchy top. Instead it was topped with a fruit jam. When I got home I researched the recipe and decided to try making it myself. Unlike the crème brûlée I had previously made, which required constant whisking and then baking, this panna cotta seemed much easier to make because it used gelatin and refrigeration to firm the custard. 

Unfortunately, one of the common problems with using powdered gelatin is that the crystals do not completely dissolve and can sometimes lead to a grainy texture. I tried to solve this problem by pouring the mixture through a fine mesh sieve before filling the wells, but still I could tell that the texture was not completely smooth when I tasted it. Perhaps next time I will try using sheet gelatin and see if that works better. As far as the flavor goes, I was pleased with how prominent the lemon flavor had turned out and even stood up against the warm jam I poured on top.

Lemon Panna Cotta

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 packet powdered gelatin
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Fruit preserves

1. Pour the lemon juice into a medium sized bowl and sprinkle the gelatin crystals evenly over the surface. Set aside for 5-10 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
2. In a small saucepan heat the cream and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour the cream mixture slowly into the gelatin and stir until the gelatin crystals completely dissolve, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Distribute the custard evenly into well oiled cappuccino cups or a muffin tin. I used a cute heart-shaped silicone muffin tray and had enough to fill all six wells all the way to the top and even had some extra left over.
6. Refrigerate until the custard sets, about four hours.
7. To serve, carefully run a knife around the edges of the custard and then invert or scoop out onto a plate. Heat up the preserves in the microwave and then spoon about a tablespoon amount over top the panna cotta.