ginger

Vanilla and Pear Panna Cottas with Spiced Ginger Cookies

Preparation and Cooking Time:  4hrs
Serves:  12

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole milk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 plump vanilla beans, split and seeds scraped
• 3 cinnamon sticks, cracked
• 4 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin (from 2 envelopes)
• 3 cups Pear Juice, we recommend ‘100% Pear Juice’ by Paracombe Premium Perry
• Spiced Ginger Cookies, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the milk with the cream, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the vanilla beans and seeds and cinnamon sticks and bring to a simmer.  Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 30 minutes.  Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and return it to the saucepan.
2. In a small bowl, sprinkle 3 teaspoons of the gelatin over 1/4 cup of cold water and let stand until softened, about 2 minutes.  Scrape the gelatin into the saucepan and whisk until dissolved.  Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and pour about 1/2 cup into each of 12 small glasses.  Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours.
3. In a clean saucepan, boil the pear juice with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of gelatin over 1 tablespoon of water and let stand until softened, about 2 minutes.  Whisk the gelatin into the pear juice mixture until dissolved.  Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and let cool completely (but don’t let the gelatin set), about 30 minutes.  Gently pour 2 tablespoons of the pear juice into each panna cotta over an inverted spoon and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.  Serve with the Spiced Ginger Cookies.

Recipe adapted from foodandwine.com