Saffron, Ginger and Honey Panna Cotta with Oat Crisps
Saffron lends a golden hue and delicate but distinct flavour to this creamy dessert.
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2 cups (500ml bottle) cream
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons mild honey
1 large thumb fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
3 pinches saffron threads
1 tablespoon gelatine
3 tablespoons cold water
Oat crisps:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut
50g butter, melted
1/4 cup honey |
Place cream, milk, honey, ginger and saffron in a saucepan and slowly heat to near boiling. Remove from heat and stand 10 minutes to allow flavours to infuse. Strain though a sieve into a jug.
Sprinkle gelatine over water, stand 5 minutes then microwave 15-20 seconds or until dissolved. Stir into cream, cool then pour into small, lightly greased, plastic moulds (about 1/2 cup capacity). Chill at least 3 hours to set.
To serve, place an oat crisp on each plate. Dip base of moulds in hot water for 30-40 seconds, run the point of a knife around top edge of desserts and gently release on to biscuits. Drizzle with extra honey if desired. Serves 6
Oat crisps: Combine all ingredients. Place spoonfuls on a lined baking tray, pressing mixture into rounds (mixture will be crumbly but will meld during baking). Bake 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on tray before transferring to an airtight tin for storage. Makes 12
Recipe: Jo Wilcox
Photograph: Rachael Hale
Issue: April 2006
Pear, Saffron and Honey Tart
This sweet, golden tart is best eaten the same day it is made.
Pine nut pastry:
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons icing sugar
11/2 cups flour
130g butter, chopped
2 egg yolks
Filling:
3-4 small medium-ripe pears, poached, halved and cored, or 2 x 415g cans pear halves, well drained
14 teaspoon saffron threads or 1/8 teaspoon saffron powder
300ml cream
1 cup milk
4 eggs plus 2 yolks
6 tablespoons liquid honey
Pastry: Process pine nuts with icing sugar until fine. Add flour and butter and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolks and a teaspoon of water at a time until mixture clumps together. Knead lightly into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Flatten pastry into a rough circle and press into a greased 23cm tart tin. Line with foil and fill with rice, dried beans or pastry weights. Chill well. Bake 20 minutes until just starting to colour. Remove foil and weights and return tart to oven for a further 15 minutes until pastry is light golden and dry.
Filling: Pour 2 tablespoons boiling water onto saffron and allow to cool. Pat excess moisture from pears with paper towels. Whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, honey, saffron threads and their liquid until smooth. Pour 1cm of custard into tart shell, arrange pears on top and carefully pour remaining custard around pears. Bake 20-25 minutes until just set. Cool and serve dredged with icing sugar.
Serves 8
Recipe: Janet Dunn
Issue: April 2004
