Mango Panna cotta with candied blood oranges and pistachio Dust

I love desserts! The simplicity of this Mango Panna Cotta is one that anyone can make, but it does take time to set. So, keep that in mind.  The base of panna cotta is two simple ingredients -- cream and sugar. I used half and half, because it is less fat and I really can't tell the difference in flavor once you add the fruit flavorings.  I like to use the fruit puree in the base and as a topping.  The puree is basically fruit concentrated in the blender sweetened to your liking.  For this recipe I was feeling a bit tropical so I went for mango. You could go with berries, apples, whatever you desire. Evanate and have fun.
Panna Cotta

1 Cup Half and half
​1/3 Cup Caster Sugar
1/4 Cup Mango Puree
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 Gelatin Sheet

  1. Bring Half and Half to a simmer; be careful not to boil.
  2. Add in Caster Sugar.
  3. While Half and Half and sugar simmers, bloom gelatin in cold water.
  4. Remove from heat and whisk in the puree and lemon juice.
  5. Add gelatin to mixture. Mix well. The texture should be smooth.
  6. Spoon the panna cotta into serving dishes and let them chill overnight, or at least 1-2 hours to let the gelatin set.
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Candied Blood Oranges

1 Blood Orange
2 Cup Sugar
2 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Pistachios
  1. Cut the blood orange into 1/8 inch slices
  2. Place them in a pot of water and the sugar.
  3. Bring to a boil and then simmer for an hour.
  4. While the blood orange simmer, grind the pistachios to a dust.
  5. Let the blood orange cool in the water. Once cool refrigerate over night to intensify the flavor.
  6. The next day, remove the orange slices from the liquid, coat the rind with caster sugar, then place on a rack to dry.

Pistachio Dust Garnish

1/4 cup Pistachios (shelled)
1 Tbsp Sugar
  1. Combine in the blender to desired consistency. I like to leave a few larger bits.
  2. Transfer to bowl until ready to garnish.
  3. Can be refrigerated 1-2 days.

Garnish each panna cotta with a slice of candied blood orange and top with a spoon of pistachio dust.

Pro Tips:
  • If you are vegan, use Agar Agar instead of gelatin.
  • If you don't have gelatin sheets, you can use gelatin packets; use about a tablespoon.
  • Caster sugar is a fine sugar ... not powdered. You can make your own caster sugar by running granulated sugar through a food processor; be careful not to grind it to a powder.
  • The remaining infused simple syrup is great in lemonade.



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