The Costswolds dry gin in this expertly crafted Panna Cotta is sure to provide a memorable taste. The 9 botanical blends including Cotswolds Lavender combined with an intense Lime sorbet will be truly gorgeous. A fantastic desert.
Number of people the dish serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes cooking
Ingredients:
For the Panna Cotta
450ml of Double Cream
60g of Caster Sugar
1 lime (juice only)
20ml Cotswold Gin
2 sheets of Gelatine
50ml of Whole Milk
For the Sorbet
400g caster sugar
400ml tonic water
50ml Cotswold gin
2 limes (zest and juice)
1 egg white
To Garnish
Mint leaves
Cooking Instructions:
For the sorbet
Put the sugar in a pan with 400ml water and bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Add the tonic water and once cold, add the gin, lime and lemon zests and juice, and egg whites.
Whisk together and place in an ice cream machine until set but not hard.
If you don’t have an ice cream machine, freeze in a Tupperware and then blend quickly to make smooth and refreeze.
For the panna cotta
Place the gelatin leaves in a bowl with cold water and allow to soften.
Place the cream, sugar lime juice and gin in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Place the milk in a small pan and bring to a simmer.
Remove from the heat, squeeze the excess water out of the gelatin and add to the milk.
Combine the milk mix with the cream mix and stir well.
Pour into dariole moulds or ring moulds with cling film over one end and refrigerate until set.
To plate
Turn out the panna cotta onto a plate. You may need to heat the sides with a blowtorch or dip in a bowl of boiling water for 10 seconds to release.
Quenelle a spoonful of sorbet on the plate. Garnish with mint leaves and fresh berries if desired.
Tony’s Cooking Tip:
Keep an eye on the panna cotta as it’s cooking as it can quickly boil over. Instead of sorbet, the mixture can be frozen into a block and scraped with a fork to form a granita. It also makes a lovely base for a gin cocktail.
About Tony Rodd (MasterChef Finalist 2015):
Originally from a Greek-Cypriot family, but brought up in London and Essex, Tony learnt to cook in the kitchens of his mother and grandmother spending his youth cooking slow, one-pot dishes reminiscent of the traditional Greek fare. On entering MasterChef, Tony adapted his cooking style to accommodate the faster cooking times and delicate presentation needed for the show.
Tony developed his love for gin long before the craft gin revolution the UK is experiencing! Playing cards with a group of friends weekly, their drink of choice was gin and it soon became quite competitive to who could bring the best/most unusual gin to the gatherings.
On MasterChef Tony forged a name for himself with his desserts and chocolate work. Dubbed “the master chocolatier” by Gregg Wallace, he has spent his time since the competition honing his skills in the pastry kitchen. Having had success with desserts, Tony found a fondness for chocolate work and has been creating stunning puddings that wow both the eye and the palate.
Since finishing the show, Tony has set up a private catering business cooking dinner parties for clients in their own home. Working on setting up his first restaurant “Copper & Ink”, Tony is currently planning a Modern British dining room with Scandinavian influences in the heart of Blackheath which is planned to open late 2017. The gins on offer will be of the best the UK has to offer.
Tony’s first book, ”Well Dressed Plates” is designed for the home cook looking to create restaurant style dishes in their home. You will find Tony on a number of TV shows across the various networks, cooking locally sourced produce and advising on food ventures across the breadth of the UK.
About The Cotswolds Distillery:
Nestled in the Warwickshire countryside, the Cotswolds Distillery is the first craft distillery in this beautiful part of Britain. Using the best local ingredients, they lovingly create award winning, world-class spirits and liqueurs.
The founder, Dan Szor, is a real entrepreneur. A native New Yorker, Dan fell in love with the Cotswolds during family weekends spent escaping London. Wishing for a more relaxed rural lifestyle with his wife and young daughter, Dan replaced hedge funds with the more scenic hedgerows of the Cotswolds. Seeing the golden barley waving in the breeze one day Dan had a brainwave “there’s barley all over the Cotswolds and nobody’s distilling it, let’s be the first!”
Life at the distillery is firmly rooted in the beautiful Cotswolds surroundings; 100% of the barley used to make the whisky has been grown at neighbouring farms, and once mashed, these spent grains go back to a local farm to feed their cows. All the waste products from the distilling are recycled, and the distillery is partly powered by the solar panels on the roof of the barrel warehouse. Lavender is a key botanical in the Cotswolds Dry Gin, and it’s grown at the Snowshill Lavender Farm near the distillery.
