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April 23, 2013

Chocolate Panna Cotta with Agar Agar

Blogging Marathon: Week 3/ Day 8
Theme: Seasonal Dishes - Winter Dessert
Dish: Chocolate Panna Cotta without Gelatin (with Agar Agar)
This is a rich chocolaty dessert that is perfect for a holiday party. I was always under the impression that Panna Cotta is a fancy and very "gourmet" dessert. But come to find out it is quite simple to make and what better time than the holidays to serve this sinfully rich dish.
With a house full of chocolate lovers, my obvious choice was to make chocolate panna cotta. I used agar agar powder  instead of gelatin to make a completely vegetarian dish. Agar Agar or China grass needs be dissolved in hot liquids in order for it to gel or set.
Ingredients:
Heavy Cream - 1¼cups
Milk - 1¼cups (I used 2% milk, whole milk will work, don not use 1% or skim here)
Agar Agar powder (China grass) - ½tsp
Sugar - 1/3 cup (increase or reduce as per taste)
Semisweet Chocolate - 3oz., finely chopped
Vanilla extract - 1tsp

Method:
  • Keep 6-½cup molds/ ramekins/ bowls ready. 
  • Combine heavy cream, milk and sugar in a heavy bottomed pan; bring the mixture to a boil. 
  • Lower the heat and add the agar powder. Whisk vigorously until it completely dissolves; simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and then stir in chopped chocolate. Whisk well to melt the chocolate.
  • Next add the vanilla and mix again.
  • Pour the mixture into the selected molds/ bowls. Cool a little bit, then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.
  • When ready to serve, dip the mold in hot water and run a sharp paring knife around the edges and then invert onto the serving plate.
Serve with strawberry sauce (recipe follows) and/or whipping cream and/or vanilla ice cream and some grated chocolate.
Strawberry Sauce:
This sauce is very simple to make and can be used on ice creams, pancakes and just about anything that needs some sweet, fruity goodness.

Ingredients:
Strawberries - 1 pint, hulled and roughly chopped
Sugar - 3tbsp (adjust according to the sweetness of the strawberries)
Strawberry Jam - 2tbsp

Method:
  • Combine the berries, sugar and ¼ cup of water in a medium sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 6-8 minutes.
  • Add the jam and then cook for another 3 minutes. If you want a smoother sauce, blend the mixture. I left the berries whole this time.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use as needed.
Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up for BM# 27.
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9 comments:

  1. i want to make this for my son's birthday next month, was thinking of gelatine earlier, but will try a batch with agar agar, photos look amazing

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  2. lovely Panna cotta..and my favorite flavor too... in fact have made chocolate Panna cotta for groovy gourmets..and strawberry sauce...what a coincidence..

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  3. Very delightful,attractive,gorgeous,pretty irresistible pannacotta, that too with that strawberry sauce,panna cotta looks divine.

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  4. Looks so good. I have agar agar flaky noodle and I have tough time managing with them..I should try to powder them and use it, right?

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  5. Oooooooo! awesome. Love this. and your pics are mindblowing

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  6. Wow such pretty pictures Pavani..I agree with house full of chocolate lovers and makes I might end up making this as well..:)

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  7. Absolutely delicious one..looks so tempting and makes me drool..fantastic clicks and loved the way you captured..

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  8. Lovely clicks. I prepare pannacotta with agar agar only and love it

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  9. Just want to dig into it. Somehow I haven't tried agar agar so far and so never ventured into this panna cotta world. :)

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