NEW RECIPE ALERT! A De Krans White Russian Espresso Panna Cotta
Jump to RecipeHellllooooo my boozy loving darlings! Today you are in for an absolute treat! I know… I know… it has been like forever since I shared a boozy recipe with you guys, and for that I do apologise. But as they say: “all good things are to those who wait!” And today you are richly rewarded! This recipe you will absolutely love and it will totally impress your dinner guests! Bonus – It is super easy to make!
It is kinda putting a twist on a classic cocktail and transforming it into a rich, creamy and decadent dessert. Instead of using a coffee liqueur we shall be using De Krans Espresso and trust me – it works really well. 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
FYI this is not for the kids!
My Boozy Review of the De Krans Espresso
I don’t know what your feelings are when it comes to dessert wines. Some people absolutely love it and some don’t. Me… I don’t mind a glass of sweet wine at the end of the meal. I certainly don’t mind one on a freezing cold winter night!
But what I do like about the De Krans Espresso is that it is not overly or sickly sweet like a Jerepigo. On the nose you get mocha coffee…
The palate is extremely smooth with rich plums, cherry and figs. A little aromatics, and a touch of raisins and honey. You also get dark chocolate coming through with a caramel and a hint of vanilla giving another layer of complexity, which ends off with an extra long finish of freshly ground coffee.
The De Krans Espresso is a stunning blend of the big five Portuguese grape varieties:
Having already won the most innovative wine at the Michelangelo awards in 2012 the De Krans Espresso is extremely versatile. Hot summer days or icy cold winter nigts – it doesn’t matter.
A De Krans White Russian Espresso Panna Cotta
The best thing about panna cotta you can get those creative juices flowing, I mean it is fully customizable and the flavours and toppings are endless. Panna cotta for me is the perfect dreamy dessert, especially if your main course was big, bold and heavy.
Generally a panna cotta is not overly sweet and it just kinda melts over the main course, completing that dessert gap.
Alternatively you can jazz it up and transform the De Krans Esspresso into a dessert that is light, but rich, creamy and utterly sophisticated. I love a panna cotta for dessert.
The trick for a perfect panna cotta is that is has to be silky smooth and not rubbery. It must have that wobble/jiggle. It must also not be too stiff and definitely not a soup!
Did you know the word panna cotta actually means boiled cream in Italian? One of the secrets to making the perfect panna cotta is to go low and slow. You don’t want to boil your cream, rather it must come to a gentle simmer. You basically just want the sugar to dissolve and the flavours (vanilla/spice etc) to infuse into the cream.
Never ever add your gelatin to boiling hot liquid or to a cold mixture. The ideal temperature should be about 54C. If you are using a mould – allow for it to set for a minimum for 4 hours. Quickly dip the mold in boiling hot water and gently run a knife around the edges. It should just slide out.
De Krans White Russian Espresso Panna Cotta
Ingredients
The Espresso Layer
- 2 Gelatine Leaves
- 65 ml Espress Coffe / Extra Strong Black Coffee
- 40 g Caster Sugar
- 60 ml De Krans Espresso
The Creamy Layer
- 6 Gelatin Leaves
- 300 ml Cream
- 300 ml Milk
- 100 g Caster Sugar
- 75 ml Vodka
- Cocoa powder & coffee beans for garnish
- 1 tsp Vanilla Powder
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
Instructions
The Espresso Layer
- Cover the gelatine with cold water and allow for it to bloom for about 5 minutes
- Heat the coffee and sugar in a small pan. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Taking the gelatin out of the water and giving it a good squeeze so as to remove excess water add nto the coffee mixture. Stir until dissolved.
- Stir in the De Krans Espresso.
- Take off the heat and divide among six glasses/moulds. Put in the fridge and allow for it to set for 2 hours.
The Creamy Layer
- Soak the gelatin in cold water until it blooms.
- Very gently heat the cream, milk, sugar , vanilla and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Lifting the gelatin out the water give it a squeeze to remove the excess water.
- Stir into the cream mixture until dissoleved.
- Take the saucepan off the heat, and add the vodka.
- Transfer to a jug and allow for it to be completely cooled.
- Once the coffee mixture is set and the cream mixture is completely cooled. Gently pour over the cream mixture on top of the coffee mixture.
- Chill until completely set. Dust with cocoa powder and garnish with a coffee bean or two.