Saffron Panna Cotta with Bitter Honey Recipe
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We started with a basic panna cotta base and mixed in some saffron to give it an added dimension. This pairs well with bitter honey, so do your best to find some. If you can’t, you could serve the panna cotta with another type of honey or even with saba, a honeylike syrup made from grapes. This recipe is easy to cut in half if you’re cooking for two.
What to buy:
Purchase saffron from a trusted source, as some merchants will try to pawn off old saffron or even turmeric or marigold in its place. Saffron in threads is preferable to ground saffron, as it lasts longer.
Try topping the panna cotta with this bitter honey
from Sardinia.
Turkish dried figs are sweet and plump enough to make a dessert on their own, but they pair well with the saffron and honey in this recipe.
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) saffron threads
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup bitter honey
- 8 dried figs (optional)
- Combine cream, milk, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. When it simmers, add saffron, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to steep for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk together gelatin and cream mixture until thoroughly incorporated. Fill four ramekins or small dishes with about 1/2 cup of the base. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until mixture is set, about 4 hours or overnight.
- To serve, dip the bottoms of the ramekins or small dishes in hot water. Run a knife around the perimeter of the panna cotta, cover with a serving plate, and flip to unmold the panna cotta. Drizzle each panna cotta with 1 tablespoon of bitter honey, and, if using, garnish with a couple of dried figs.
Beverage pairing: A lightly carbonated, sweet glass of Moscato d’Asti is a fruity, clean, and vibrant complement to this creamy dessert. Try the 2005 Saracco.
Saedas is the traditional dessert from Sardinia. I light dough filled with Scamorza or Prima Sale cheese. Fried and then bathed in a sugar and honey reduction. Delicious!
Suereal, you really have to try with the saffron, it's incredible! But my guess is that cardamom would be great to try. From Québec, I am also a big fan of maple syrup but in this case, the taste of honey with the saffron is a huge winner!
I know that Italian chestnut honey is very bitter and sometimes served over chesse after a meal.
Sounds great I just wonder what I would use if I could not get saffron.
Since I'm in Vermont I might use maple syrup instead of honey.
Also, wonder how much Stevia to use to replace the sugar?
Anyone know?
Suereal
This sounds delicious and reminds me of something I just read about yesterday.
I am reseaching restaurants in Rome, and came across a review for a Sardinian place in Rome..... although it's not Roman, it made my "must try" list based on this dessert description: " Try the Sardinian dessert "Sardea" which is puff pastry filled with cheese and drizzled with bitter honey - absolutely immense. "
Yumm it sounds so good!
Now I have to try to make the pannacotta!
Just read an article about bees pollinating almond trees in the SF Chronicle, which said that the honey made from almond blossoms is too bitter to eat. Wonder if it can be used in a recipe like this? According to the article, right now the beekeepers just throw it out.
Wow! This tastes great! I was skeptical when I smelled the saffron while making the recipe, I wasn't sure how that strong aroma would turn out in a dessert, but I loved it, it certainly is surprising and unusual, in the best of ways. I would have loved to have a taste of that bitter honey, but I couldn't find any, so I used buckwheat honey. I loved it's darkness and strong honey taste that could well balance with the saffron.
Thanks!
Also...
This was the first time I had made panna cotta, so there were a couple blips...
When I flipped them out of the ramekins and served them... We discovered that some time during the setting process in the refrigerator, it had separated into two layers - gelatin and custard. Oops. Next time I will stir it longer, and pour after it has reached room temperature.
Oh my. I love panna cotta dearly. I tried making this once, and it was excellent. The saffron is subtle, but also very Present. And the honey lent extra sweetness, to a dessert that would otherwise have had only 1/16 cup sugar.
And now I am obsessed with saffron - not only because I have discovered the great flavour, but also because I have a little jar of saffron at my disposal. Btw, I bought my Spanish saffron from Trader Joe's (1 gram for $2.99). I'm not sure how reputable TJ's is as a saffron dealer, but I would trust TJ's for anything...