Sep 26, 2022

MKR Semi Final Recipe - Basil Panacotta

Prep time:

1.5 hour

Cook time:

1 hour

Serves:

Ingredients basil pana cotta: 500: 500: 1/2: 5
2 cups fresh basil leaves
500ml milk
500ml cream
½ cup sugar + 2 tbs
5 x gelatine leaves (softened in cold water)
lemon zest

Ingredient for strawberry sauce:

5 cups fresh strawberries
3lemon incl zest
3 tbs sugar

Ingredients meringue shards with freeze-dried strawberry 4:200g
4 egg whites
200 grams of sugar
pinch of salt
Freeze dried strawberries

ingredients for macerated strawberries
8 cups fresh sliced strawberries
10 tablespoon lemon juice
5 tsp white sugar
1.5 cup thinly cut basil

Strawberry sorbet:
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tsp glucose syrup
2 tbs lemon juice + zest
500g fresh strawberries
¼ cup water

Garnish
Micro basil leaves
pistachio crumb toasted
fresh strawberry quartered and halved if small

Method:
For the pana cotta:

1. Soften the gelatine leaves in cold water and set aside until soft
2. Add all ingredients minus the gelatine leaves and bring to a steamy simmer, add fresh basil leaves and allow for mixture to infuse
3. Once almost boiling point, remove from heat an add the gelatine leaves and stir to mix well
4. Pour into moulds and set in the fridge for at least 4 hours

For the strawberry sauce:
5. Add all ingredients over a low heat and cook until combined, and sugar is melted.

6. Add the corn flour and thicken slightly if needed
7. Blend using a blender and then set aside

For the meringue shards:

7. Preheat the oven to 130 degrees Celsius
8. Beat the egg whites, and sugar using a stand mixer until stiff beaks form add freeze dried strawberry powder

9. Once stiff peaks have formed smooth the mixture onto baking paper on baking trays with a spatula very thinly Sprinkle with freeze dried strawberries

10. Turn the heat down to 100 degrees and cook for 40-50 minutes or until dry to the touch

11. Once cooked and cooled, break into shards and store in an airtight container

For the macerated strawberries:
12. Chop the strawberries and add all ingredients to a bowl and mix and set aside

For the strawberry sorbet:
13. Combine the sugar, glucose and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stir until the sugar dissolves.

14. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Stir through the lemon juice and salt.

15. Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towel. Place the strawberries and the syrup in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill to room temp and then churn in the ice cream churner for 2 hours

To assemble:
Add the strawberry sauce to a plate, and then add the pana cotta on top. Set onto a plate, add the shards around the pana cotta and garnish with the macerated strawberries, micro basil, pistachio crumbs, and a scoop of strawberry sorbet on the side

Specialty equipment: