Maggie Beer

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Pears in Verjuice

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 1/2 leaves Gelatine
400ml Cream
150g Caster sugar
250ml Buttermilk
Pears in Verjuice (see recipe below)
1 Lemon, zest and juice
1/4 Vanilla pod split

Pears in Verjuice for Panna Cotta

8-12 Pear halves, dried
1 cup Verjuice
1 Vanilla bean, split into half
1 tsp Lemon zest
1 tbsp Sugar

Method

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water to soften. Combine the cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and bring almost to the boil. Add the cream and sugar mixture to a bowl with the buttermilk. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the gelatine and whisk into the cream/buttermilk mixture. then. Divide into moulds and place in the refrigerator to set. Serve with pears.

Pears in Verjuice for Panna Cotta

Heat the Verjuice and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears, lemon zest and vanilla bean and simmer gently until the pears have plumped up.