SHF #18: Frangelico Honey Panna Cotta

I am on a serious sugar high right now.  Or maybe it's not so much a high as drunk on sugar?  See, the last two days have involved some serious sweets.  First, there were bite sized desserts for Stephanie's Blog Party (more on that later) and today, there's Sugar High Friday #18, hosted by Chandra at Lick the Spoon.  Sugar High Friday, as we all know, is the brainchild of the Domestic Goddess and it's a great reason to indulge my sweet tooth one Friday out of the month.  So for Chandra's designated theme, "Liquor is quicker!" we're presenting desserts infused with liquor.

Our colleague David was in town again and in a passive aggressive manner worthy of the best teenaged girl, invited himself to dinner on Wednesday.  Okay, it's not really that bad.  He asked Greg to find out if I would cook and ... huh.  It does sound that bad.  No seriously, when I found out David was coming back, I asked Greg if he thought David would like to have dinner with the group before Greg could do his middleman thing.  So high school.  Anyway, it being the normal hot disgusting weather that precedes a hot disgusting summer in the deep South, I didn't want anything too heavy for dessert on Wednesday night.  My sister Kaly had raved about a vanilla panna cotta (we give Martha Stewart her due for the original recipe) she'd made the weekend before.  It sounded great; but not being a fan of plain vanilla panna cotta, I substituted wildflower honey for the sugar.  Yummy.  It was perfect.

So when I was thinking about what to make for SHF #18 today, it seemed appropriate to tinker with the recipe and add in some of my favorite liqueur:  Frangelico!  Result?  Seriously heady stuff.  Only don't do what I did and eat three in row without thinking because it was so refreshing I forgot about the alcohol.  Sugar Drunk Friday, I think.

Frangelico Honey Panna Cotta

based on a recipe by Martha Stewart

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream 
1/4 cup wildflower honey
1/2 cup whole milk
3 T Frangelico
 
Place six ramekins (3 inches in diameter, 1 1/2 inches deep) in the refrigerator until cold.

Put 3 tablespoons cool water into a medium bowl. Sprinkle in the gelatin; let stand until gelatin has softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir together cream and honey in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve honey, until bubbles form at edges, about 2 minutes.  Pour cream mixture into bowl with gelatin; whisk until gelatin has dissolved. Stir in milk. Pour cream mixture into chilled ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Run knife around edge of ramekin.  To serve, dip 1 ramekin in a  bowl of hot water for 20 seconds, making sure water does not reach rim. Invert panna cotta onto a dessert plate, gently shaking and tapping ramekin to unmold. If unmolding is difficult, return the ramekin to hot water briefly. Repeat to unmold the remaining panna cottas.

Top with chopped hazelnut and serve.

Comments

[Kieran]

It's been a long time since I've tried pannecotta. I must get inspired and try it! Thanks.

[silversara]

*sigh* That looks absurdly good. I'm going to have to make it! Thanks for sharing!

[cath]

Kieran,

thanks for dropping by -- I'm such a huge fan of your blog!

Silversara -- happy to share! Enjoy!

[Jan]

You forgot to add the Frangelico to the mix.
I'll have to assume that it goes in with the milk since if you cooked it with the cream the alcohol would dissolve and there would be no "sugar drunk"

[cath]

Jan - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH - you are SO right! I totally forgot to add that in. Yes, the alcohol goes in with the milk. See? I WAS drunk when I wrote this recipe.