panna cotta with raspberry red wine reduction

I don't know about you. . .

but to me, the word holiday is synonymous with dessert!

  

I am the type of person who will eat less turkey and mashed potatoes 

(at dinner that is - around midnight, a different story) 

the goal being to sample 

all of the various desserts. 

All of them.

That being said, 

most of the time people bring standards:  

pumpkin, squash, pecan pies, cookies-- 

sometimes mom will make rum baba 
or a special treat 
but generally everything is spiced and heavy. 
Wonderful, of course, but sometimes, don't you just want something of light richness with a bite of tanginess?

This dessert fits the bill 

and is elegant as well.

panna cotta with raspberry red wine reduction

ingredients:

for panna cotta

4 cups of heavy cream 

1/2 cup of sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)

6 tablespoons of cold water

for raspberry red wine reduction

1/2 cup (125ml) red wine

3 tablespoons (50g) sugar

small basket of raspberries

good quality dark chocolate, 

cut into 8 small triangle nibs for garnish

how to: 

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

2.Lightly grease eight ramekins/custard cups. 

3. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl 

and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Pour the warm cream/sugar mixture 

over the gelatin and stir 

until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

5. Divide the panna cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them 

until firm, about 3-4 hours.

6. In a non-reactive skillet, cook the red wine, sugar, and raspberries over low-medium heat until the raspberries fall apart.

7. Strain all of the pulp/seeds out. 

8. After panna cotta has set, run a sharp knife around the edge of each 

and unmold onto individual serving plate.

9. When ready to serve, 

heat sauce slightly in a pan. 

Drizzle on the plate around/onto the 

panna cotta and garnish 

with a nib of the chocolate.

*Panna cotta recipe adapted 

from David Lebovitz' fabulous blog