Hello, everyone! I just completed the third weekend of my HMS Pinafore run with Lamplighters Music Theatre, and am so in love with the show! What a wonderful, talented group of people to be working with! We’re performing in Livermore, California, this coming weekend, so there is still one last chance to see all of the sailors, sisters, cousins, and aunts that make up this lively operetta!
This week on the blog, I teamed up with my friend Megan, blogger of the new Bunsenbaker.com, to bring you a very special recipe: panna cotta with plum confit, topped with roasted plums in a thyme honey caramel sauce. It was, as you can imagine, stupendous!!
Panna Cotta Garnished With Plum Confit & Roasted Plums In Thyme Honey Sauce
Serves 6
Prep Time: 2 Hours
Rest Time: 2 Hours, or overnight if unmolding your panna cotta
Panna Cotta
Ingredients
1 ½ Cup Heavy Cream
1 ½ Cup Whole Milk
½ Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Agar
Scrapings from 1 Vanilla Bean or 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
8 oz. Crème Fraîche (I used Vermont Creamery!)
Canola or Vegetable Oil (if you will unmold your panna cotta)
6 ramekins, molds, or martini glasses
Process
Combine the heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and agar in a medium saucepan. Bring everything to a simmer, stirring frequently until the agar flakes dissolve. Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the vanilla bean scrapings or vanilla extract, as well as crème fraîche. Strain everything into a pitcher or something easy to pour.
If you plan on unmolding your panna cotta to serve, lightly oil your molds. Divide your panna cotta evenly amongst the molds, and set them in the refrigerator to set, at least two hours, or overnight if you will serve them unmolded.
Plum Confit
Ingredients
8 Plums
¼ Cup Sugar
Process
Quarter the plums, combine them with the sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it thickens and the plums are completely broken down. If you have a food mill, mill the sauce to refine it.
Roasted Plums With Thyme Honey Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
½ Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Honey (I used Bernard Michaud chestnut honey from the Pyrenees Mountains!)
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) Unsalted Butter
½ Cup Fresh Thyme Sprigs
6 Large Plums, Halved, Pitted
Process
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together sugar, honey, butter, and thyme sprigs together in a nonstick oven-proof skillet over high heat until everything melts. Add the plum halves, cut side down. Cook the ensemble without stirring for 2 minutes. Flip the plums over, and place the skillet in the oven for 4 minutes, or until the caramel is a deep brown. Check regularly to make sure nothing burns!
Assembly
Unmold your panna cotta if you choose to go that route. Spoon a thin layer of the plum confit over top. Add a roasted plum and several spoonfuls of caramel sauce. Megan and I added a sprig of fresh thyme for garnish. SERVE!
Megan and I went nuts over our creation. Later, I had the chance to see my friend, composer and musician David, and he also went nuts over it. Success!!!
Try this recipe out for yourself at your next dinner!
Also, I’m so excited to see that you are loving my online shop! Head over there now if you’d like to get some Miss Cheesemonger gear!
