Sensational: Strawberry Panna Cotta with Balsamic Red Wine Syrup

 

I always get assigned the dessert! And if I am really honest with myself, in the kitchen I prefer cooking rather than dessert making or baking!

But I always get assigned the dessert.

Once or twice a month my girlfriends and I get together for a girlie evening. If we all got together at once we'd be about 8 or 10! A lot of women - but all 10 of us in one place rarely ever happens as the one or other can't make it for several reasons (kids, husband, work etc.). So, often we get together in groups of fours to sixes. We really have fun together and do a variety of things. The movies then cocktails, or dinner at a restaurant then cocktails, or just cocktails. Sometimes one of the girlfriends will invite us over to her place and we cook and then have cocktails - you get the picture!

There's always a lot of giggling, gossiping and bitching. Oh I just love these evenings. I always come back with my spirits high and in a giddy mood (yes those cocktails!) On the occasions when we are invited over to dinner, we all pitch in. A potluck. The hostess makes the main course and the rest of us get assigned different things. One will bring a salad, the other the munchies, the other wine alcohol for the cocktails - I always get assigned the dessert.

Baking/desserts requires high concentration - exact measurements and perfect temperatures. I do enjoy creating such creations, but cooking is more my forte. I like being able to simply play around with ingredients - free-style. Precise measurements are not required and improvising is desired. I love that.

Having said that - it's the dessert and the baking that gives me a buzz. There is a great feeling of satisfaction when I have completed an intricate dessert or a tricky cake, incomparable to anything else. I've also noticed that it's the dessert or the cake that almost always steals the show!

Honestly? I love the attention.

On the weekend, one of my best girlfriends, AK, was having a belated birthday party and requested me to make dessert. She had suggested something chocolatey. "No problem there!" I thought.

But then Soeren and I went to our local strawberry fields and plucked 3 kilos of these luscious strawberries ...

With these gorgeous, ripe, juicy fruit in my fridge I had to make them the star of my dessert. One of my favorite German cooking magazines is featuring strawberries this month so I had plenty of exciting recipes to choose from.

I went for the panna cotta. Not because of the panna cotta itself, I've made that a few times. What intrigued me in the recipe was the balsamic red wine syrup. The recipe is a breeze to make and produces an exceptional dessert. It's a perfect bring-a-long to any potluck party - a real show stealer.

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Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.

Serves 4

For the panna cotta

200g ripe strawberries, cut into quarters
250g heavy cream
50g icing sugar
3 sheets gelatin

For the balsamic red wine syrup

100 ml balsamic vinegar
100 ml red wine
50g sugar

Optional

Hazelnut brittle and pistachios, chopped

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Method

For the panna cotta

In a saucepan mix together the strawberries, sugar and cream and on medium heat simmer for approx. 10 minutes.

Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes.

Using a puréeing machine, purée the strawberry-cream mixture until smooth. If desired, strain the mixture through a sieve. Add the gelatine and stir until dissolved.

Pour into 4 cups or forms and refrigerate overnight.

For the balsamic red wine syrup

Mix together all the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced to a third, into a thick creamy syrup. Set aside to cool.

Serve the panna cotta drizzled with the syrup and a sprinkling of the nuts, if using.

Enjoy!

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Verdict

Even a chocoholic like me succumbs to a fruity dessert like this. This panna cotta encases all the ripeness and aromas of a fresh strawberry. It smells fantastic and tastes incredible. The combination with the balsamic red wine syrup is unbeatable. An explosion of flavors. My girlfriends enjoyed the dessert to the very last spoon, which was savored with such delicacy. AK could not stop hugging me for making such a special dessert just for her. Yes, AK you mean the world to me - for you nothing but the best.

You might enjoy the creamy desserts on WFLH too:

	Saffron and Cardamom Panna Cotta
	Panna Cotta with Blackberries
	Persimmon Honey Nut Yogurt Verrines

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