The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.
After last months challenge I was quite pleased that this months recipes were for something that I would probably make again. Although, I wasn't really a fan of the Nestle Florentine recipe. I think Florentines should at least have nuts and/or fruit and this recipe was lacking both. So I also tried a different florentine recipe (from the blog of David Lebowitz).
I made a vanilla panna cotta with plum syrup. I've gotten in to the habit of going to the organic fruit and vege stall on Saturday mornings before yoga (ok so I still have a little San Fran still in me) and they had some delicious plums that were just waiting to be turned into syrupy goodness.
Here's what I learnt:
- Panna cotta is uber easy to make .... and that's about it. Oh and pants to the Nestle recipe... I didn't like it at all.
VANILLA PANNA COTTA
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1 tablespoon (one packet) (15 ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups (720 ml) whipping cream (30+% butterfat)
1/3 cup (80 ml) honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 Vanilla Bean - cut lengthways
1. Pour the milk into a bowl or pot and sprinkle gelatin evenly and thinly over the milk (make sure the bowl is cold by placing the bowl/pot in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you start making the Panna Cotta). Let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.
2. Pour the milk into the saucepan/pot and place over medium heat on the stove. Heat this mixture until it is hot, but not boiling, about five minutes. Whisk it a few times at this stage.
3. Next, add the cream, honey, sugar, and pinch of salt. Also scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the mix.
Making sure the mixture doesn't boil, continue to heat and stir occasionally until the sugar and honey have dissolved 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, allow it to sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then pour into the glass or ramekin.
5. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Add garnishes and serve.
PLUM SYRUP
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tbs lemon juice6 plums - halve plums, remove stones and dice
1. Stir sugar, water and lemon juice in a small pan over medium heat until dissolved.
2. Simmer until thickened slightly.
3. Add plums to the pan. Warm the plums slightly then remove from heat.
4. Spoon a little of the syrup and diced plums over the top.
FLORENTINE COOKIES (Nestle)
2/3 cup (160 ml) (150 gm) (5.3 oz) unsalted butter
2 cups (480 ml) (160 gm) (5 2/3 oz) quick oats
1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) (95 gm) (3⅓ oz) plain (all purpose) flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) dark corn syrup**
1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1½ cups (360 ml) (250 gm) (9 oz) dark or milk chocolate
** I'm not sure exactly what dark corn syrup is but a quick Google search at the supermarket told me that it's a mix of molasses and golden syrup.
1. Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F (190°C) (gas mark 5). Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.
3. To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.
Drop a tablespoon full, three inches (75 mm) apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets.
5. While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (in a double boiler, or a bowl that fits atop a saucepan filled with a bit of water, being sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl).
6. Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper (to keep counters clean).
7. Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom/flat side of your cookie, sandwiching another (flat end) cookie atop the chocolate.
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| Here's what they looked like going in to the oven.... I can't show what they looked like coming out cause it ended up being a giant florentine mush. |
CHOCOLATE DIPPED FLORENTINES (davidlebowitz.com)
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/3 cup (50g) powdered sugar
1 3/4 cup (130g) blanched sliced almonds
a good pinch of flaky sea salt
grated zest of half an orange*, preferably unsprayed
chocolate - to coat (of desired)
1. Preheat the oven to 300F (150C).
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush very lightly with neutral vegetable oil.
3. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
4. Keep a small bowl of cold water and a fork near where you’re working.
5. Dip your hand in the cold water before lifting each portion of almonds, and place heaping tablespoon-sized mounds of the batter evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Once you’ve covered the baking sheet, dip the fork in cold water to flatten the cookies as much as possible. Try to avoid having many gaps between the almonds.
7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Exact time will vary based on how large your cookies are. The authors recommend lifting the bottom of one with a metal spatula to check and see if they’re cooked through. If they’re not brown across the top and bottom, they won’t be agreeably crispy.
8. Let cookies cool, then lift with a thin metal spatula and place them on a cooling rack until crisp. Continue baking all the cookies on the same baking sheet.
9. Store Florentines in an airtight container until ready to coat.
