Diana's Desserts - www.dianasdesserts.com
http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/gue/recipeID/835/Recipe.cfm

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Apricot Coulis

Servings: Makes 4 servings
Comments:
Panna Cotta

Definition: [PAHN-nah KOH-tah]. Italian for "cooked cream" panna cotta is a light, silky egg custard, which is often flavored with caramel. It's served cold, accompanied typically with fruit or chocolate sauce.

Coulis

Definition: [koo-LEE] 1. A general term referring to a thick puree or sauce, such as a tomato coulis. 2. The word can also refer to thick, pureed shellfish soups. 3. Originally, the term coulis was used to describe the juices from cooked meat.

Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Apricot Coulis

An excellent dessert to serve when you are having a small dinner party or makes a light and delicious dessert for a special occasion. Pick tasty fresh fruits in season to serve with the Panna Cotta...................Diana

Ingredients:
For The Panna Cotta:
2 cups (16 fl oz./500 ml) whipping cream
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 thin slice of lemon peel
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (1 tbsp. or 3 gelatin sheets)

For The Apricot Coulis:
2 oz. (1/4 cup/50g) dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup (4 fl oz./125ml) fresh orange juice
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup (125ml /4 fl oz.) sweet white wine such as a Muscat

Instructions:
For The Panna Cotta:
In a medium-sized saucepan bring the cream, vanilla bean (or extract), sugar and lemon peel to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly. In 1 to 2 tablespoons water, soften the gelatin and heat until the gelatin is dissolved. (If using gelatin sheets, follow the directions on the package.) Add a little of the hot cream to the dissolved gelatin and then add the gelatin to the hot cream, stirring constantly. Strain the hot mixture through a sieve and pour into four ramekins which have been rinsed with cold water first. Cover the ramekins with plastic covering and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

For The Apricot Coulis:
Chop the apricots and over medium heat cook them in the orange juice and honey. Remove the mixture from the burner and add the white wine. Let the mixture cool. Add more honey to the apricot mixture if desired. The apricot coullis may be put through a blender if you wish to have a thick, creamy coulis.

Remove the panna cotta from the ramekins by placing them up-side-down on a small dessert plate and pour some of the apricot coulis around the dessert. Decorate with fresh berries in season for added flavor and color.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: DianasDesserts.com
Date: October 1, 2002