Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Sambuca
Elevate your dessert game with an elegant take on a classic Italian dessert created by Toni Roberts, Jean Banchet award winner and Executive Pastry Chef at The RitzCarlton, Chicago and its Italian-inspired restaurant, Torali.
Since joining The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, Chef Roberts inaugurated the hotel’s inhouse wedding cake program and continues to elevate its pastry program with elegant, sensory-forward creations. Her past experience includes interning with acclaimed pastry chef Emily Luchetti at Farallon in San Francisco and assisting Marcus Samuelsson at the White House during his guest chef preparation for the Obama administration’s first state dinner.
Roberts’ Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta ($15 at Torali)) is a modern take on a classic Italian dessert. Unlike traditional panna cotta, this version incorporates sambuca, an Italian anise-flavored liqueur, which adds a complex, slightly licorice-like herbal note to the creamy dessert.
The liqueur provides a sophisticated and unexpected flavor profile that elevates the classic panna cotta, balanced with a white peach thyme graniteé, macerated strawberries and brown sugar cinnamon tuille for a delicate crunch.
SERVING SIZE: 4 OZ. PREPPING TIME: 30 MIN COOKING TIME: 4 HRS TO SET
INGREDIENTS
21ozHeavyWhipping
3ozgranulatedsugar ½vanillabeanpod
4sheetsgelatin
6oznicewhite
6ozwholemilk 3ozSambuca
DIRECTIONS
Bloomthegelatininicewaterfor10minutes Strain andsetaside 1
Rollthevanillabeanbetweenyourfingerstoloosen theseedsinside.Splitthebeanlengthwisewitha sharpknifeandscrapeouttheseeds. 2. Addthevanillabean,seeds,heavywhippingcream, sugarandbloomedgelatintoalargepot 3. Placethepotovermedium-highheatandbringtoa boil.
Turnofftheheat.5. Addthewhitechocolate.6. Coverthepotwithalidandletthemixturesteepfor atleast20minutes DONOTREMOVETHEVANILLA BEANDURINGTHISSTEP 7. Aftersteeping,stirinthewholemilkandSambuca.8. Blendthoroughlywithanimmersionblender.The vanillabeanwillbreakupintochunks. 9. Strainthemixturethroughafinemeshstraineror cheesecloth
Dispenseyourmixtureintoyourdesiredcontainer andchilltosetatleast4hoursandupto3days.