Baked Plums with Brown Sugar and Lemon Panna Cotta

The plums are ripening and as always there are more than can be eaten as fresh fruit. We munch our way through as much as we can and  then Slow Roast Fruit for the freezer or use some to make a simple dessert with Panna Cotta, icecream, yoghurt or cream.

A quick dessert can be made by  placing the plums in a casserole dish, sprinkling 2 -3 tablespoons of sugar  over the top and then pouring  about 1/2 cup marsala wine over the plums. Add a split vanilla bean if you desired. Bake at 150/160 deg C until just cooked. Remove from the oven and serve at room temperature with the syrup from the dish spooned over.





I like to vary my usual  Panna Cotta recipe. Substituting dark brown sugar for the regular sugar creates a subtle caramel flavour and the lemon zest a hint of lemon. This version was not as rich as light cream and more milk were used.

Brown Sugar and Lemon Panna Cotta

Ingredients

10 g leaf gelatine

300 ml milk

300 ml light cream

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract/concentrate, optional

Method

Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 -10 or until soft.

Put milk, cream, sugar and lemon zest into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stir to make sure that the sugar has dissolved and remove from heat. If time permits allow lemon to infuse for an hour or so and then reheat the cream mixture.

Drain the gelatine sheets and add to the hot cream mixture.  Stir to ensure that the gelatine dissolves.  Add vanilla extract/concentrate if using. 

Pour the mixture into small glasses or a large bowl*

Refrigerate and allow panna cottas to set for at least 4 hours.

*To Make in Moulds

Rinse out moulds with cold water and then pour the mixture into wet moulds.

To serve, dip the base of each mould briefly in warm water and turn out onto cold serving plates.