Salted Honey & Almond Panna Cotta

Recipe PREP 10 min, plus 1 day for pickling grapes COOK 10 min, plus 40 min cooling time

Salted Honey & Almond Panna Cotta

PREP 10 min, plus 1 day for pickling grapes COOK 10 min, plus 40 min cooling time

Description

What I love in a panna cotta is that the cream and sugar are held together with just enough gelling to no longer be a liquid. This recipe uses just a tiny bit of agar agar (1/4 tsp). If you want the panna cotta to hold its shape a bit more, adding 1/8 tsp more agar agar will firm it up without completely sacrificing its silkiness.

NOTE

Pickled grapes elevate this dessert. It adds a pre-prep day, but the payoff is worth it.

Ingredients

4 servings MAKES

Pickled Grapes

1 lb (450 g) seedless red grapes
1 cup (240 ml) apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1/8 tsp mustard seeds

Panna Cotta

1/3 cup (80 ml) almond yogurt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) honey plus extra for drizzling
1/2 tsp salt
1½ cups (360 ml) almond milk
1/4 tsp agar-agar

Directions

Step 1

Make the pickled grapes: Remove the grapes from their stems and wash in a colander. Transfer the grapes to a 1-qt glass Mason jar.
Step 2

In a medium saucepan bring the vinegar, water, and sugar to a simmer over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
Step 3

Add the cloves, peppercorns, and mustard seeds to the jar of grapes. Pour the vinegar sugar mixture over the grapes and place in the refrigerator; after an hour, cover with the lid. The grapes are ready after a day in the liquid but get better with time. Use as needed and store the rest in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.
Step 4

Make the panna cotta: Lightly grease 4 small ramekins or teacups that can hold 4 oz (120 ml) each with neutral oil or spray. Pass the almond yogurt through a strainer (to help make the panna cotta as silky as possible) into a spouted measuring cup (large enough to hold 2 cups). Add the honey and salt, whisk until smooth, set aside.
Step 5

In a bowl, whisk the almond milk and agar agar until well combined. Pour the milk and agar agar into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once it comes to a boil, immediately reduce the heat so that the mixture cooks at a simmer (don’t let it come to a hard boil) — let it simmer for 4 minutes to activate the agar agar. Gently stir (don’t whisk) constantly while it's simmering.
Step 6

Remove from the heat and pour the milk and agar agar through the strainer into the almond yogurt and honey mix. Carefully pour the mixture into prepared ramekins and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.
Step 7

To serve the panna cotta, top each ramekin with 3 or 4 grapes cut in half and drizzle with a little honey.