Week 8: Panna cotta

Hi everyone!

Who are you?

How bloody good was Nigella week? How is she so hot? Nigella Lawson is fifty bloody six, and she’s sexier than most twenty year olds. It isn't fair.

Is it just me? I've never understood why panna cottas seem to be the only desserts made on MasterChef. This week I sought to solve this mystery. The MasterChef website’s recipes were unachievable, since my local Woolies doesn't stock titanium strength gelatine leaves. Luckily for me, adelaidenow published a modified version of MasterChef winner Michael’s panna cotta recipe. If you’re wondering who the hell this Michael is, you aren't alone.

I've been bogged down with a cold recently; true to my pathetic character, I played the ‘I'm too sick to live’ card, and half assed Michael’s recipe. Saving myself the bother and about $15, I ditched the rhubarb and pistachio components, and settled on the panna cotta and accompanying syrup. Call it a cheat day.

Panna cotta

Look at how chill I am!! I've
never been this chill.

It turns out that the reasoning behind panna cotta’s popularity isn't as puzzling as I believed. The secret is that panna cottas are as easy as a wanton school girl.

A simple equation: cream + gelatine + fridge = panna cotta
Even I, the most stressed out cook to ever grace the planet, managed to sneak in a few games of trivia while I breezily followed the recipe.

There was a slight moment of anxiety when little flecks of gelatine settled on the skin of the mixture, and I was worried that I hadn't dissolved the gelatine thoroughly enough. However I stirred and shrugged it off, because what choice did I have?

My moulds: storage container, 
bowl and plastic cup

Michael’s simplified recipe called for setting and serving the panna cotta in the same bowl. But I refused to make a panna cotta without going through the stress of demoulding it. I sought that adrenaline. I sought the true MasterChef experience. So I used a variety of extremely fancy containers, hoping that at least one would work.

Orange and honey syrup

I dumped everything in a pot and waited for it to reduce. It was so simple, it barely deserves its own subheading.

Demoulding the panna cotta

It had all the pleasure of giving birth, without the pain. It was stressful. I placed my plastic cup in warm water for a few moments. I then slid a knife down the side of the cup and swivelled around, before squeezing it out on the plate. And god, my darling panna cotta was so beautiful. It even had the ‘sexy wobble' that Matt Preston loves. I would be lying if I said I didn't giggle and jiggle it around for a few minutes.

Rating Rubrik

Taste: 8/10- panna cottas are jellied cream, not really my thing

Presentation/resemblance to dish: 4/10 because it was gorgeous, but I only made half the components.

Time: 9/10- disregarding setting time, making it was super easy

Kitchen Mess: 2/10- not a complete wreck for once

Thanks for reading! Enjoy MasterChef everybody!

Cheers,

Rosa