Panna cotta with lemon curd

I love panna cotta, but I must admit that taken as it is, alone, it tires me. It is a most delicate and fine dessert, with that slight flavor of cream and the touch of vanilla that I like to give it... but for me it is not enough: I need to add a plus to enjoy it, a contrast, and discover the wonderful combination the panna cotta with lemon curd is a treat that I don't want to keep to myself - you have to try it!

Panna cotta is literally "cooked cream", and it is one of the easiest desserts you can make : whipping cream with sugar and fire with a little vanilla. To make it set, you add some sheets of gelatin. Nothing else!

But its finesse and sweetness, at least for me, makes me a bit tired and I can't eat a lot... until I combine it with a strawberry or cherry sauce, or add some fresh fruit with a certain degree of acidity to generate freshness and contrast. Today was the time to add lemon curd, and the result has been wonderful.

Also, instead of making it individually, I have made it in XL size, in a loaf cake. Yes, in the Nordic Ware molds you can also make flans, puddings and jellies, apart from all kinds of cakes! I find it very practical and the result is always spectacular. The last time I made it was in the Nordic Ware Star of David mold , and it turned out amazing. Today, I wanted to give it a festive and jovial touch, and for this reason I have used the Gingerbread mold .

Don't be fooled by appearances! I have been making panna cotta in loaf cakes and bundt pans for years, and they always turn out beautiful and with super defined shapes ! What has happened today is that I have not curdled the mold with the preparation of the panna cotta only (being able to accompany it with the lemon when serving it to each diner), but before putting it in the mold I have already mixed the lemon curd , to test if its lemon aroma was diluted by the entire preparation. The result could not be better in taste: certainly, the touch of lemon has made the panna cotta acquire a delicious touch .

The negative note has been that, despite having mixed, there has been a large amount of lemon curd that has precipitated where there were the drawings of the dolls in the mold , and the lemon curd, due to its liquid nature, could not take the shape of the mould. That is why it may seem that the mold has not done its job, but far from it I have no doubt that it has (you only have to see the definition of the drawings where there is no lemon curd to believe me).

How to solve it? If you prefer the panna cotta to take the perfect shape from the pan, simply DO NOT add the lemon curd into the panna cotta mixture, and you will add it later as a side dish when serving.

If you like panna cotta and have never tried it before, I definitely invite you to try it - it has become my favorite combination for this dessert.

Ingredients (for a mold of at least 1 L)

• 750 ml of whipping cream (35% mg)
• 90 grams of sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 6 gelatin sheets
• 150 g lemon curd (half a bottle of Tiptree lemon curd )
• release spray

Preparation

1. Put the gelatin sheets in a deep dish, and cover them with water so that they hydrate.
2. In a saucepan, add the whipping cream and put it on a low heat.
3. Add the sugar and vanilla, and mix well.
4. You can go over medium heat, but do not move away from the preparation and continue mixing with a spatula, to ensure that the sugar has dissolved and the cream does not burn at the bottom.
5. When bubbles appear because it is about to boil, stop the heat.
6. Immediately drain the gelatin sheets and add them to the saucepan. Mix to dissolve.
7. If you want to add the lemon curd to the mix, with the risk of not defining the shapes, but the plus of the lemon flavor spreading throughout the panna cotta, add the lemon curd and mix*.
8. Prepare the gingerbread loaf cake mold (or any other loaf or bundt cake), applying release spray to the entire interior surface (help yourself with a brush to spread it through all the holes).
9. Pour the panna cotta preparation into the mold. Let it lose heat and, when it is warm, store it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
10. Unmold the panna cotta in a rectangular Revol dish (just turn the pan and tap it a few times and you will see that it unmolds wonderfully).

*If you prefer to ensure a 100% perfect shape, do not add the lemon curd to the mix: pour the panna cotta preparation with the gelatin into the mold and let it set, and when serving add lemon curd to decorate each plate or cut that you serve

When taking to the table, also have a bowl with lemon curd, for those who want to serve themselves more. It is so delicious that he assured you that more than one will do it!