Rose & Hibiscus Pannacotta

Simple pannacotta with delicate rose flavour

Rose and Hibiscus Pannacotta, the taste of late summer

For those who love the summery taste of roses and the blush pink of hibiscus. Do be careful with the rosewater flavouring, less is certainly more when it comes to floral flavours.

I have dressed the finished dessert with some edible gold powder and one or two extra dried hibiscus blooms but some rose petals in season would also be pretty.

This is not vegetarian, due to the use of gelatin which is an animal product. I have tried with the vegetarian alternatives and have not yet come up with the right recipe, so far they have all given a much harder set than the perfect wobble. I will keep on trying and post it on the blog when I find the right mix! Or please let me know if you have some hints and tips.
 
Serves 4               Timings:  30 minutes and 3 hours to set
 

• 250ml double cream
  
• 50g caster sugar
  
• 100ml milk
  
• 150ml plain yoghurt
  
• 2 leaves of gelatine
  
• 2 teaspoons rosewater
  
• 2 teaspoons of dried Hibiscus flowers (you can buy these as loose tea in Organic food shops)

 
Place the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes to soften.

In a small pan heat the hibiscus flowers, cream, sugar, vanilla and milk to simmering, but don’t boil. Take the gelatine out of the water and slide them into the hot cream, they will dissolve as they go in. Leave the mixture to cool and then add the rosewater and the yoghurt, stirring well, even using a small whisk so it ends up smooth. Strain the mixture into a jug and pour into whatever moulds you are using. Metal moulds are easiest to un-mould but you can also use ramekins or whatever you have.

To serve:  if you want to unmould, dip your mould in hot water and then upturn over the plate. The pannacotta should plop satisfyingly out. Decorate the pannacotta with some gold glitter and a hibiscus flower or perhaps some fresh rose petals if you have them in your garden from the last flowering before Autumn blows them down.