Earl Grey Panna Cotta with Cereal Brittle
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Makes: 6 servings
- Nutritional Info Per Serving: Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe • Calories: 597 • Total Fat: 41g • Saturated Fat: 24g • Carbohydrates: 55g • Dietary Fiber: 1g • Sugar: 49g • Protein: 5g • Cholesterol: 114mg • Sodium: 244mg
- Total Time: 5 hr 5 min (includes chilling and steeping)
- Hands-on Time: 30 min
This showstopper make-ahead treat will turn heads at any gathering. With flavors reminiscent of a creamy cup of tea, the panna cotta is both silky and inviting. The cereal brittle reimagines a classic breakfast staple with an irresistible crunch, providing a delightful contrast to the panna cotta’s smoothness!
Ingredients
Panna Cotta:
Nonstick cooking spray, for coating ramekins
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope (2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Earl Grey tea bags
Edible flowers for garnish (optional)
Cereal Brittle:
Nonstick cooking spray, for parchment
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups honey nut cereal, like Cheerios
- To prepare the panna cotta: Give 6 ramekins or small glasses a light mist of nonstick spray. Gently blot each with a paper towel, leaving only a very subtle coating; this helps release the panna cotta when set and inverted.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, half-and-half, and sugar. Heat over medium, stirring at times, until you achieve a gentle simmer and all sugar is melted. Monitor closely – fast heating can cause the mixture to bubble over or scald.
- In another small saucepan, pour in 3 tablespoons cold water. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface and let it stand for 1-2 minutes, until it blooms. Warm over low heat, stirring, just until the gelatin fully dissolves. Gelatin can look solid but will liquefy once warmed. Switch off the heat and set aside.
- Once your cream mixture barely reaches a boil, add both the vanilla and the gelatin liquid, whisking well. Remove from the heat and put in the tea bags. Leave the bags to steep for 15 minutes so the flavor infuses.
- Take out the tea bags, pressing them gently to extract optimal flavor, and discard them. Whisk to dissolve any film that may have formed. Carefully pour the mixture into your prepared ramekins. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or leave overnight for best results.
- For the cereal brittle: Line a baking sheet that has a rim with parchment and spray it very lightly with nonstick spray.
- Place the butter in a nonstick skillet and heat over medium until melted. Pour in the sugar and salt, mixing with a silicone spatula. It will look sandy at first, but as it heats, the sugar will melt. Stir continuously until it becomes fully liquid, then turns golden and caramelized – this takes about 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat and fold in the cereal so each piece gets coated. Spread evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Let it stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to harden, then break up into pieces.
- To serve: Run an offset spatula around the edges of each panna cotta to help remove it. Invert onto a small plate. If stuck, briefly submerge the ramekin’s base in warm (not hot) water for 10-15 seconds. You can also simply serve in the ramekins. Decorate with a few shards of brittle and edible flowers, if you wish.
