Vanilla Panna Cotta

Summer vacations are synonymous with hungry kids who are always on the lookout for a tasty bite or two. But too much of packaged products are a strict no-no with the copious amount of preservatives and additives going into them. Making those traditional delicacies by following grandma's recipes and slogging it out in the kitchen in the sweltering heat does not seem practical either.

A basic Vanilla Panna Cotta, an Italian delicacy, is one such recipe that calls for minimal time and effort. Moreover it goes well with fruit and kids gets a healthy dose of vitamins along with the goodness of milk and cream. Other easy summer snacks options can be sandwiches that can be whipped up in less than 10 mins or fruit chaat or loads of fruity milkshakes ( you will find lots of recipes on my blog else drop me a comment and I will be happy to reply ).

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup cream (I use Amul fresh cream or Milky mist fresh cream)
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 1/2 tbsp sugar ( i prefer a little less but you can add more as per taste )
• 2 1/2 tsp ( level ) powdered gelatin 
• 1 vanilla pod

Cooking - Take the milk and cream in a saucepan. Using a knife, slice the vanilla pod and scrape the insides. Add the insides as well as the vanilla pod to the saucepan. Place it on a low flame and just bring to a boil. Add the sugar and stir till it dissolves. Simmer for another 2 mins.

Remove from the flame. Keep aside for 5 mins and them remove the Vanilla pod.

Take the gelatin powder in a steel bowl. Add 2 tbsp hot water to it and stir. Then place the bowl in hot water and stir till the gelatin is completely dissolved.

Stir the gelatin into the milk and cream mixture. Allow the mixture to cool down further before pouring into molds or small glasses ( lightly butter the molds or glasses so that de-molding will become easier ).

Refrigerate for 4-5 hours before serving.

Note - Serve the Panna cotta with a topping of chocolate sauce or fruit crush. Goes great with fresh figs, strawberries or any other berries too.

Tiramisu

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert which literally means 'pick me up'. It is attributed to the combined effect of coffee(expresso), cocoa and sugar. One bite and you really get to know why they call it so.

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 12 ladyfinger biscuits, 1 tsp Nescafe, 1/2 tsp cocoa powder, 1/4 cup warm water, 1/4 cup milk, (5-6 tsp + 3 tsp) sugar, 1 cup cream cheese, 1 tsp butter, 2 tsp fresh cream, 1 egg yolk, 6-7 drops vanilla essence, cocoa powder for dusting.

Preparation - Dissolve the coffee and cocoa powder in warm water. Allow to cool. Then add the milk as well.

Beat the egg yolk with 5-6 tsp sugar till it is fluffy and very pale in color.

Beat the cream cheese with butter and fresh cream till light and fluffy. Fold in the egg yolk mixture gently. Add the vanilla essence.

Take a square dish. Line the ladyfinger biscuits. Add sufficient coffee-milk liquid onto the biscuits to wet them but not to make them very soggy.

Spoon over half of the cheese-yolk mixture. Sprinkle some cocoa powder. Add another layer of the biscuits. Drizzle with coffee liquid. Add the remaining cheese-yolk mixture.

Finally sprinkle as much cocoa powder as you like. (Add a few choco-chips if you want)

Refrigerate overnight. (Since I made this in a hurry, I had only about 7 hours for the dessert to set. The longer time you soak it, the better as the coffee flavors permeate into the cheese.)

Serve chilled.