Buttermilk Panna Cotta after Supper

Set out powdered unflavored gelatin or 2 ¾ silver gelatin sheets, cold water only if using powdered gelatin, and whole milk 86g before you start Buttermilk Panna Cotta after Supper. The batch is written for 6 Servings.

Count on 15 minutes of prep, 2 hours of resting, about 2 hours from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

For the panna cotta

• 4 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin or 2 ¾ silver gelatin sheets
• 6 tablespoons cold water only if using powdered gelatin
• 1/3 cup whole milk 86g
• ½ cup heavy cream 130g
• pinch kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup low fat buttermilk 195
• 2/3 cup heavy cream 173g

For the macerated strawberries

• 2 cups strawberries hulled, quartered
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 lemon zested
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice to taste

How the cooking goes

Prepare the panna cottas

1. Place 6 molds or ramekins on a rimmed sheet pan. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bloom the gelatin: If using sheet gelatin, place individual sheets into ice water and allow to soften. This will take 5 minutes. Remove gelatin sheets and squeeze out excess water. Place in a dish to the side until ready to use, but don’t do this step more than 10 minutes in advance or the sheets will begin drying out. Rather, store them in the ice water.
3. If using powdered gelatin: In a small bowl whisk together the gelatin and cold water. Allow to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
4. In a small pot bring ½ cup heavy cream, milk, salt and sugars just to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugars.
5. Remove the pot with the boiling cream mixture from the heat, then add the bloomed gelatin. Stir to dissolve the gelatin.
6. In a separate bowl or blender, combine the remaining cold cream, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour the gelatin mixture into the cold ingredients and either briefly blend in blender or use a hand blender to incorporate. You can also use a whisk rather than a blender, but a blender will give the best final texture.
7. Divide between lightly sprayed molds. Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely. 2 hours is the minimum but sometimes they still will not unmold. it helps to ride the line between using just enough and not enough gelatin. This produces a panna cotta with perfect mouth feel. It should melt in the mouth rather than feel like Jello. To that effect, you chill overnight always.
8. To unmold, place desired serving plate or bowl upside down over the mold. Shake to loosen the panna cotta from the mold and it should fall on the plate. In the Italian restaurant where you served this (and a bunch of other varieties), we briefly ran the outside of the mold under hot water (or dip in a bowl of hot water), over turn and shake it into your hand, then gently place on the plate or bowl for serving. You prefer the look of fluted metal molds but ramekins also work.

Macerated strawberries

1. About an hour or so before serving, combine strawberries, sugar, zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir to distribute the sugar. Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon juice as needed.
2. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour. This can be done the day before but eventually the strawberries will soften and be less pretty. Still tasty but not cute.
3. Pile a few strawberries on top and allow some to fall to the side then add some of the strawberry juices to the plate.

After it comes off the heat

Chill it for the time the method names before serving. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

If you want another plate from Custards, open Banana Pudding after Supper and Caramel Pastry Cream after Supper.