Panna Cotta Question
Jack and Kay Hartman
Tuesday I took my secretary to Ciao for lunch for Secretary's Day. I
know Secretary's Day was last week but this was the first chance I could
squeeze into her busy social calendar. Anyway, Ciao is the best
restaurant in Simi Valley where we work. The restaurant would not
survive in West L.A. where I live but that's another story.
For dessert, Paula ordered Panna Cotta. They described Panna Cotta as a
sort of Creme Brulee. I told them that this was misleading since Creme
Brulee is clearly thickened with egg yolks and there are no eggs to be
found in Panna Cotta. The two desserts are entirely different. I
usually describe Panna Cotta as cream Jell-O.
When I make Panna Cotta (from the Patricia Wells recipe) it always
separates when it cools. I get a truly wonderful creamy layer on the
top and a smaller, jello-like, layer on the bottom. The Panna Cotta
served to Paula was not separated and was all of the consistency of my
top layer.
I asked Carol, who works the front room and who is married to the chef,
to ask her hubby why mine separates and his does not. I was not
expecting an answer because this guy has more attitude than is
reasonable, but I thought I'd try. Carol came back from the kitchen and
said that this secret will be one of the tips on the set of video tapes
the chef is planning to make and sell so I will have to wait. I think
not.
So, can somebody fill me in on what I am doing wrong and the chef at
Ciao is doing right? I'd appreciate the help. Thanks.
One other thing, could you please answer both to my email and the
group. I can't seem to stay connected to Netcom for more than 60
seconds and that is where I usually read my news. Because of my
inability to stay connected I am reading news with my Mediaone account
and they miss a tremendous amount of posts. It's too bad that this
doesn't seem to bother them. So, I'm in the market for an ISP yet again
and would appreciate your indulgence in the meantime.
Kay
Katherine Krause
Hi Kay!
I am very new on line and just saw your question about the panna
cotta. Yummy stuff but not a thing like your server described. I am a
cook at Walt Diney World and I have a recipe for you but I left it at
work and will bring it to you soon. I do not know the recipe you are
using nor why you have a sepation proble but will speak to my pastry
chef (from Switzerland) and see what I can do...
Good Cooking...Kyro
PS Try serving it with fresh strawberries tossed with an age balsamic
vinegar and some brown sugar. Yummmmm.
Kate
In article <3548980A...@mediaone.net>, Jack and Kay Hartman
<hart...@mediaone.net> wrote:
>When I make Panna Cotta (from the Patricia Wells recipe) it always
>separates when it cools. I get a truly wonderful creamy layer on the
>top and a smaller, jello-like, layer on the bottom. The Panna Cotta
>served to Paula was not separated and was all of the consistency of my
>top layer.
<snip>
>So, can somebody fill me in on what I am doing wrong and the chef at
>Ciao is doing right? I'd appreciate the help. Thanks.
Patricia Well's recipe uses half whole milk and half cream. I think it should
be all cream or cream plus say 1/4 cup water to dissolve the gelatin. Another
step she doesn't mention is letting the cooked cream cool *completely* before
pouring it in the ramekins. Since she uses butter to line her ramekins (a
step I omit) I am wondering that the possibly still warm cream is somehow
intereacting with the butter to keep if from setting properly on the bottom.
Just a thought!
Kate
Keith Rickert
>When I make Panna Cotta (from the Patricia Wells recipe) it always
>separates when it cools. I get a truly wonderful creamy layer on the
>top and a smaller, jello-like, layer on the bottom. The Panna Cotta
>served to Paula was not separated and was all of the consistency of my
>top layer.
>So, can somebody fill me in on what I am doing wrong and the chef at
>Ciao is doing right? I'd appreciate the help. Thanks.
I've made this only once, from a recipe from Lorenza de Medici's
book, and I have to say I don't know how well it came out,
in the global sense, since this was the only time I've had the dish.
It was rather a while ago, but I don't remember it separating
at least not that I could notice.
Panna Cotta al Caffe
~4 oz. espresso
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 oz unflavored gelatin.
Combine half the cream, the sugar, and the espresso in a saucepan,
and heat to a simmer. Remove from heat and sprinkle the gelatin on
top, and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Allow to cool
to room temperature.
Beat the remaining cream to soft peaks. Reserve a little bit for
topping and then fold into the gelatin mixture. Place the combined mixture
into molds and refrigerate for 3 hours. Beat the reserved cream
to stiff peaks and top with a pastry bag and decorate with coffee beans
(I didnt bother with the beans).
Keith
--
Keith Rickert | "I'll have you know I'm a patriotic British
ke...@eve.cchem.berkeley.edu | gentleman!" "And what does that mean?" "It
rick...@netcom.com | means I'll only do it for money."
ke...@imppig.caltech.edu | Major Dennis Bloodnok, M.T., M.T., M.T.
Barry Marcus
You're right about Pana Cotta being like a cream flavored Jello, but doesn't
"cream jelly" sound just a little more refined? Anyway, it's no secret that
Panna Cotta separates for the same reason that Jello separates. Not enough
time was spent making sure that both the gelatin and the sugar are both
completely dissolved. These things require care in preparation, not a
chef's video.
Some tips: If you are using powdered gelatin, make sure it stands on the
surface of the COLD milk WITHOUT STIRRING in order to bloom it. This will
take at least five minutes, and preferably 10. If you are using sheet
gelatin, soften the same amount of time IN ICE WATER. Squeeze out the water
and melt in a double boiler before tempering and incorporating into the hot
cream. (Tempering means pouring a little hot liquid into the melted
gelatin, stirring to combine.)
Bring the cream to a full boil with the sugar and let it steep covered, off
the heat (along with flavorings) for at least five minutes to make sure the
sugar is dissolved. (A full boil is one that cannot be stirred down, while
a scald is a boil just around the edges. To avoid boiling over, once the
cream is scalded, I usually stir constantly until it boils fully and then
remove the pot from the heat.)
Add the milk/gelatin mixture to the steeped cream and RETURN TO THE BOIL
while stirring. Make sure the gelatin is dissolved. When in doubt, let it
steep even longer after boiling. However, do not let it just boil away,
which could impair the ability of the gelatin to set.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a mold and refrigerate 6 hours.
Jack and Kay Hartman wrote in message <3548980A...@mediaone.net>...
>Tuesday I took my secretary to Ciao for lunch for Secretary's Day. I
>know Secretary's Day was last week but this was the first chance I could
>squeeze into her busy social calendar. Anyway, Ciao is the best
>restaurant in Simi Valley where we work. The restaurant would not
>survive in West L.A. where I live but that's another story.
>
>For dessert, Paula ordered Panna Cotta. They described Panna Cotta as a
>sort of Creme Brulee. I told them that this was misleading since Creme
>Brulee is clearly thickened with egg yolks and there are no eggs to be
>found in Panna Cotta. The two desserts are entirely different. I
>usually describe Panna Cotta as cream Jell-O.
>
>When I make Panna Cotta (from the Patricia Wells recipe) it always
>separates when it cools. I get a truly wonderful creamy layer on the
>top and a smaller, jello-like, layer on the bottom. The Panna Cotta
>served to Paula was not separated and was all of the consistency of my
>top layer.
>
>I asked Carol, who works the front room and who is married to the chef,
>to ask her hubby why mine separates and his does not. I was not
>expecting an answer because this guy has more attitude than is
>reasonable, but I thought I'd try. Carol came back from the kitchen and
>said that this secret will be one of the tips on the set of video tapes
>the chef is planning to make and sell so I will have to wait. I think
>not.
>
>So, can somebody fill me in on what I am doing wrong and the chef at
>Ciao is doing right? I'd appreciate the help. Thanks.
>