Coffee & Chocolate Panna Cottas

I desperately needed another chocolate fix this week (let me add that I started feeding my weekly chocolate habit, this past Monday at Levana Kirschenbaum‘s with some of her fabulous Chocolate Truffles; I continued with Easy Chocolate Squares), therefore I had no choice but to turn to François Payard‘s Chocolate Epiphany. Leafing through the pages, to my surprised delight, I came across an interesting dessert which I just had to try; as usual, Pâtissier Payard did not disappoint!

From page 130:

Serves 6

Chocolate Panna Cotta

• 1 tbsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 oz  50% chocolate chopped
• 1/2 cup Dutch -processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar

Coffee Panna Cotta

• 1 tbsp unflavextractored powdered gelatin
• 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 1  tbsp pure vanilla
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar

Garnish

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves

Directions

CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA:

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tbsp of the whole milk, and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl.
2. Combine the cocoa powderand the sugar. Put the remaining milk and sugar mixture in a small saucepan over medium high heat, and bring almost to a boil. Whisk the gelatin into the milk, then pour the milk ovrer the chocolate. Whisk the gelatin into the milk, then pour the milk over the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a a small pitcher or a bowl with a spout, and set it aside to cool to room temperature.

MAKE THE COFFEE PANNA COTTA:

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoonsof the milk, and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Combine the remaining milk and the coffe, vanilla bean, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring almost to a boil. Whisk the gelatin into a mixture until combined. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small pitcher or a a bowl with a spout, and set it aside to cool to room temperature. If using vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean, whisk it in it now.

ASSEMBLE THE DESSERT:

1. Pour some of the chocolate mixture into six tall, clear 4-ounce glasses, so that it fills up about one fourth of each glass. Place the glasses in the freezer to set the panna cotta, but do not let it freeze solid. This will take about 30 minutes. Then pour some coffee mixture over the chocolate one, to fill the glasses halfway. Return the glasses to the freezer to let the coffee panna coota set, about 30 minutes.
2. Repeat the process with one more layer each of chocolate and coffee. The last layer does not need to be put in the freezer. Refrigerate the glasses until the panna cotta layers are set, about the 30 minutes, or overnight.
3. To serve, garnish with a dollop of apricot preserves.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

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