Vanilla panna cotta with
orange & candied walnuts
Delicately cardamom flavoured yoghurt panna cotta is a perfect do-ahead entertaining dessert. These are easy to turn out to present on plates, but if you prefer you could serve them in the glasses, topped with the oranges and candied nuts.
100 mls milk
100 mls cream (or use all milk)
⅓ cup caster sugar
4 oranges
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 gelatine leaves
1 x 380g tub Clevedon Buffalo Co Vanilla Bean yoghurt
½ cup toasted walnuts
½ cup caster sugar
Lightly grease ramekins or glasses with 100ml capacity with a neutral oil.
In a small pan heat the milk, cream, first measure of sugar, zest of 1 orange and cardamom pods until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
Put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften for 5 minutes. Squeeze the gelatine of excess water and add to the pan of still warm milk mix stirring to dissolve. Cool for another 5 minutes, then strain through a sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the yoghurt. Divide the mix between the ramekins or glasses. Cover and refrigerate overnight to set.
Remove the peel and any white pith from the oranges. Using a sharp paring knife, cut orange segments from the membranes and put into a small bowl.
For the candied nuts, line a tray with baking paper. Heat the sugar in a small saucepan with ¼ cup water until the sugar dissolves and begins to turn amber, around 5 minutes. Add the toasted walnuts and stir to coat, then put onto the baking tray in a single layer. Cool and roughly chop. This can be made ahead and kept in airtight container.
To serve, dip each ramekin briefly in a bowl of very hot water, run a knife around the edge and slip out the panna cotta onto a plate. Spoon over the orange and any juice and scatter over the walnuts.