Honey panna cotta with spiced quince, cinnamon yoghurt cream and honeycomb
Australian Gourmet Traveller dessert recipe for honey panna cotta with spiced quince, cinnamon yoghurt cream and honeycomb by Alex Jovanovic from Hobart restaurant Piccolo.
Honey panna cotta with spiced quince, cinnamon yoghurt cream and honeycomb
“A spontaneous lunch at Piccolo Restaurant and Wine Bar in North Hobart yesterday was a very welcome treat after a hectic month. We enjoyed fantastic entrées, mains, wine and service but my husband’s dessert was something else. He chose the honey panna cotta with spice-poached quinces, cinnamon yoghurt foam and honeycomb. Not only did it look wonderful but he pronounced this dish the best dessert in the world. After being permitted a small sampling, I agreed and had to order one for myself. We would both be so grateful if you could ask chef Alex Jovanovic to share his sublime creation.”
Leanne Groombridge, Hobart, Tas
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You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.
Ingredients
Spiced quince
Cinnamon yoghurt cream
Honeycomb
Method
Main
1.Soften half the gelatine in a bowl of cold water, set aside. Combine cream, milk, honey and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar, remove from heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to cream, stir to dissolve, then pour into eight 250ml-capacity glasses. Refrigerate until set (4-5 hours).
2.Meanwhile, for spiced quince, preheat oven to 80C (or lowest setting). Bring sugar and 1 litre water to a simmer in a large casserole over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, then simmer until a light syrup forms (10 minutes). Add quince, reserved trimmings and spices, cover with a lid and bake until quince are tender (4 hours), cool, then refrigerate until chilled (2-3 hours).
3.Soften remaining gelatine in a bowl of cold water and set aside. Strain quince from syrup (discard trimmings and spices) and set aside. Transfer 250ml syrup to a small saucepan (there will be some leftover), bring to the boil. Squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to syrup, stir to dissolve and set aside to cool (15-20 minutes). Carefully pour jelly over panna cottas and refrigerate until set (2-3 hours).
4.Meanwhile, for cinnamon yoghurt cream, bring cream and cinnamon to the boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, refrigerate until cool to infuse. Strain into a small saucepan, bring to the boil over medium heat, add caster sugar, stir to dissolve, then cool slightly. Add yoghurt and ground cinnamon and refrigerate until chilled (1-2 hours).
5.For honeycomb, combine, sugar, glucose, honey and 1 tbsp water in a saucepan over low heat, stir until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil, brush down sides of pan with a clean wet pastry brush and cook until light caramel (5-7 minutes). Add bicarbonate of soda, stir quickly (be careful as mixture will puff), then quickly pour onto a heatproof tray lined with baking paper and cool completely (15-20 minutes).
6.Cut quince into wedges, place on top of panna cotta, serve with broken honeycomb pieces and cinnamon yoghurt cream.
Note Alex Jovanovic makes a foam from the yoghurt cinnamon cream using a siphon gun. Remaining syrup can be reserved to poach your next batch of quince and will keep refrigerated for up to four weeks.
This recipe is from the August 2009 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
