Recipe: Saffron panna cotta pots and poached pears
A marriage of Bettina Campolucci Bordi’s favourite spice with her favourite dessert
Saffron is one of my favourite spices and panna cotta is one of my all-time favourite desserts, says Bettina Campolucci Bordi. So why not marry those two together? The poached pear cuts through the creaminess and adds an additional layer of colour.
Ingredients: makes 6 small or 4 large servings
For the poached pears
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
- 2 pears, peeled
- poaching liquid (either water or white wine)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 5 tbsp caster sugar
- ½ a beetroot, peeled and diced, or 1 tbsp beetroot powder
For the panna cotta
- 1 litre coconut milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split, and the seeds scraped out, or 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- pinch of saffron
- 2 tbsp agar agar
Method
- Put the pears in a small saucepan and just cover with poaching liquid. Add the lemon juice, sugar and diced beetroot (the beetroot is purely to give the pears a lovely pink colour once they are cooked).
- Simmer for 30 minutes and allow to cool. Quarter the pears lengthways and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. You could leave them in the poaching liquid overnight.
- To make the panna cotta, pour the coconut milk into a pan and heat gently. Add the vanilla, maple syrup and saffron. Then sprinkle the agar agar on top of the liquid and heat through without stirring. Get it to a simmer, and whisking, let the agar agar dissolve fully.
- Once the mixture has come to a boil, remove from the heat. Pour the panna cotta mixture into serving glasses and set aside to cool. Once cooled, place in the fridge to set for a few hours.
- Just before serving, place the poached pears on top of each panna cotta and sprinkle with toasted nuts such as almonds and walnuts. Or you can use edible flowers: some possible options are cornflowers, nasturtiums and violets.
- Cook’s tip: make this delicious dessert in the morning or even the day before, so it’s ready to serve in the evening.
Taken from Celebrate: Plant-Based Recipes for Every Occasion by Bettina Campolucci Bordi, published by Hardie Grant at £20. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £15.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 online spice shops that will breathe life into your cooking and baking
The Week Recommends Accessing fresh spices does not have to be a grind
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
6 exciting homes for athletes
Feature Featuring a rock-climbing wall in New York and a basketball-tennis court in Washington
By The Week Staff Published
-
Peter Ames Carlin's 6 favorite books on pop culture icons
Feature The author recommends works by James McBride, Jim Bouton, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Wild Robot: animated adventure is 'warm, funny and wise'
The Week Recommends 'Sharply written and richly detailed' adaptation of Peter Brown's best-selling book
By The Week UK Published
-
Francis Bacon: Human Presence – a 'stirring, splendid' exhibition
The Week Recommends 'Riveting' show at the National Portrait Gallery explores the artist's 'wild' portraits
By The Week UK Published
-
Robert McCrum shares his favourite books on sport
The Week Recommends Writer and editor picks works by Nick Hornby, David Goldblatt and others
By The Week UK Published
-
The Story of a Heart: a 'heart-rending' account of two children and one heart
The Week Reccomends Dr. Rachel Clarke's 'finest book yet' blends the 'arresting and the informative"
By The Week UK Published
-
Oedipus: Mark Strong and Lesley Manville star in 'devastating' production
The Week Recommends Robert Icke's modern adaptation of the Sophoclean tragedy is 'riveting' from start to finish
By The Week UK Published