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Cappuccino and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Chocolate Truffle Filling

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There is no secret that I am a sweets girl, and any dinner party is just not complete without dessert. That said I am also always looking for sneaky ways to make luscious without a boatload of calories.
My favorite light dessert is panna cotta made with yogurt rather than cream. Panna cotta is set with unflavored gelatin to create that creamy custardy feel. No cooking involved except some warming of the gelatin to melt it down- so no tricky custard finessing.
Typically I make panna cotta in the summer and give it citrusy accents and then serve it with a fruit sauce of some kind. Berries can be stunningly beautiful suspended in the cream. The other wonderful thing about this dessert is it can easily be made several days in advance and kept in the fridge. At least you can get one thing out of the way.
The individuals are sweet and for an intimate party they are jewels- but I’ve also made shallow batches in baking pans and then turned them out onto low flat serving trays that have a lip on them. Puddle them into some colorful sauce and you have a dynamic presentation for a group. No trick getting them out of the pans either, just warm the bottom in some water and then flip. Works like a charm every time.
This particular combination I served at a small dinner party last week. I purchased these thin glasses for this specific purpose years ago. I used to have 12 and now I am down to 9 I think… this was my first time actually using them to make this dessert.
Now that we are into crisper temps I chose a cappuccino and classic vanilla. For some richness I divided the two by a thin level of dark chocolate ganache. This created a mixture of texture as well as a balance of richness. On top I served fresh hand whipped sweetened cream. Though I love a cheat dessert there DOES need to be some richness…
Cappuccino and Vanilla Panna Cotta
 
made six servings in 4″ diameter glasses
 
5c fat free yogurt- stirred smooth
1.5 c skim milk
4t unflavored gelatin
.5c superfine sugar
powdered instant espresso to taste (~2T)
vanilla bean extract
 
 
I halved this recipe and made the batches separately after each layer had set.
 
In a medium bowl combine 2.5c yogurt and .25c sugar. Stir to combine. If yogurt is not smooth use a hand blender, or put in a traditional blender to smooth out.
 
In a small sauce pan place .75c of milk and sprinkle 2t of gelatin over. Allow to sit for 4 mins to soften. Then gently warm milk to dissolve gelatin. 
 
Stir warm milk mixture into the yogurt and stir until completely incorporated.
 
To make the cappuccino flavor= in a separate small bowl put a T or 2 of instant espresso powder. Add a few t of water to just melt the powder and create a syrup. Add a small amount to the yogurt mixture and stir thoroughly. Add more until you get the intensity level you prefer. For the vanilla flavor=stir vanilla into the warming milk.
 
Divide panna cotta between serving dishes and allow to set. In my fridge this took an hour.
 
Next make the ganache and allow that to set. Finally make the second batch of panna cotta and top off.
 
Chocolate Ganache
 
5 oz chopped fine dark chocolate
.33c heavy cream
 
In heat proof bowl microwave chocolate for ~1 minute until chocolate is warm and melted. Alternatively melt chocolate over hot water.
 
Stir in cold cream until thoroughly combined. If too think you can warm gently to thin- or add a bit more cream to make a less dense ganache.
 
Spoon over the set cappuccino panna cotta tilting the glass to make sure the chocolate shows on the edges.
 
*****
 
Each stage of the panna cotta can be done on different days if you choose. Keep covered and serve chilled.

Afternoon delight: Chocolate Dipped Fennel Biscotti

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This past week I took myself down to Bumble and Bumble in the meat packing district to get my hair trimmed. One of the many delights of the salon is complimentary coffee or latte when you are awaiting your chair time. The salon is situated on the 8th floor of a loft building that has impressive views downtown and toward the river. The windows are floor to ceiling and there is nothing like settling back into the squishy leather couches they have, facing out with a warm creamy cup of coffee in my hands taking in the view.
But even better, there was tucked alongside the cup a teeny biscotti that was a delightful, not too sweet treat, that managed to make the sublime only that much better. I enjoyed every nibble.
Of course this set me onto a track that I am not quick to get off of. As I stared out over the rooftops I mused about heading back into the kitchen, of flour and mixing bowls.  I wanted to make some biscotti of my own.
I have made plenty of this crunchy cookies over the years and have a few fantastic recipes in my back pocket. For instance there are the chocolate biscotti that almost melt away in your mouth and have an almost black color. I’ve made these many Xmases and bagged and bowed them as holiday treats. People still ask for them- perhaps I should make a batch this year…
For some reason though I got a hankering for fennel. I imagined a delicate digestif type biscotti and not altogether that decadent. Something basic, something not too too. This recipe is fantastic as biscotti go. Super easy and it yields a cookie that has an even dense crumb that I really like. It can handle dipping into coffee with gusto.
Though perfectly delightful on their own, I added the chocolate as an afterthought. Now, truth be told, one could probably count the days in my life that chocolate has not passed my lips in one form or another, so dunking these in a bit of dark chocolate was not a hard sell. I did not bother to temper the chocolate, but chose a simpler cheat method. No blue ribbons for this, but it does the trick.
Fennel Seed Biscotti Dipped in Chocolate
.5c mild olive oil
.75c sugar
.25c light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1T anise extract
3.25 c AP flour
1T baking powder
1t salt
3T fennel seeds
 
1c chopped chocolate
.5t oil
    • Oven to 375˚ Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment

 

 
In medium bowl combine the first 5 ingredients and stir well to combine
 
In larger bowl sift together flour, salt and bp. Add the fennel seeds
 
Pour the wet into the dry and stir to combine. The dough will be stiff.
 
Divide in half and make logs about 3″ wide and ~1″ high and place one in the middle of each baking sheet.
 
Bake the logs for approx 25 mins until golden brown and only slightly yield when pressed in the middle. You do want a baked cookie, but not overly so. Remove from oven and set aside.
 
Leaving the oven on allow the logs to cool until you are able to handle them.
 
With a sharp serrated knife cut the log into slices and lay flat on the trays.
 
Return the sheet trays to the oven for ~6mins until toasted, then remove, flip the cookies and bake again until the tops are a golden brown.
 
For the chocolate
 
Place chopped dark chocolate into microwavable bowl.
 
Melt on high for ~1 min then stir. If it needs more give it another 15 sec jolt. Do not over heat the chocolate. Allow the warm chocolate to melt the last of the bits. Be patient.
 
Add oil and stir into the chocolate.
 
Dip the cool cookies in the chocolate and set on wax paper or parchment lined cookie sheets.
 
Pop into fridge until set.
 
This will not yield a “snappy” chocolate. If when left at room temp the chocolate gets too soft store leftover cookies in a covered container in the fridge. 
 
Otherwise store uneaten cookies in a covered container- such as a pretty cookie jar until they are all gone and you are compelled to make another batch.