Italian Panna Cotta

For the Cherry Compote

1. If you are using fresh cherries, wash and pit them and cut them in halves. And if using frozen, let them thaw, drain and cut them in halves.
2. Add brandy, lemon juice, sugar and salt in a 2 quart sauce pan and whisk.
3. Add the cherries to the mixture and bring to a boil over a medium flame. Stir occasionally.
4. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
5. Dissolve cornstarch with 1 tsp. water in a small bowl and add to the cherry mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes. If the sauce get too thick, ass 1 tsp of at a time and reduce thickness to a compote consistency.
6. Remove form flame and keep aside to cool.

For Panna Cotta

1. Spray six 6 ounce ramekins with cooking spray and keep aside.
2. Put half of the half-and-half in a saucepan and mix in gelatine powder and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Put the pan on low heat and stir in sugar whisking until gelatine and sugar dissolves i.e. about 2-3 minutes. (avoid simmering, if you see bubble remove pan from heat and let it cool)
4. Remove pan from heat and mix in the remaining half-and-half, salt and vanilla extract.
5. Pour the panna cotta liquid into the oiled ramekins equally and let them cool for 5-6 hours or overnight.
6. Serve by inverting a ramekin on a plate and gently wiggling it to release the panna cotta.
7. Pour the cherry compote on top and serve.

Trivia

• Panna Cotta originated in Northern Italy and got its name there. The words Panna Cotta literally mean “cooked cream”.
• In the olden times when gelatine was not available in extracted, powder form; cooks used to make the panna cotta mixture by cooking cream with fish bones, which has collagen that sets the cream.