Vanilla Panna Cotta with Roasted Strawberries

Method

1. 1

   Bloom the gelatine

   Sprinkle the powdered gelatine over the cold water in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes at room temperature, until swollen.

2. 2

   Warm the cream mixture

   Heat the cream, milk, 60 g sugar, vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring, until steaming and the sugar dissolves; do not boil.

3. 3

   Dissolve the gelatine

   Remove the pan from the heat, discard the vanilla pod and stir in the bloomed gelatine for 1 minute, until fully dissolved with no grains remaining.

4. 4

   Fill and chill the panna cotta

   Pour through a fine sieve into six moulds of at least 150 ml capacity, cool for 30 minutes at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until softly set with a slight wobble.

5. 5

   Roast the strawberries

   Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the strawberries with 25 g sugar and lemon juice in a small baking dish, then roast for 12 to 18 minutes, until collapsed and glossy with bubbling syrup around the edges.

6. 6

   Cool and chill the fruit

   Cool the strawberries and syrup in the dish for 30 minutes at room temperature, until no longer warm, then cover and refrigerate until serving; make them while the panna cotta chills or up to 2 days ahead.

7. 7

   Unmould and serve

   Dip each mould in hot water for 5 to 10 seconds, run a thin knife around its edge and turn onto a plate. Serve cold panna cotta with chilled strawberries or fruit briefly brought to room temperature.

Tips

• Gelatine strength varies; this quantity is for standard supermarket powdered gelatine, not leaf gelatine or a high-strength professional product.
• For clean unmoulding, chill the moulds until set and dip each briefly in hot water before turning out.
• The strawberries can roast while the panna cotta chills, or be made up to 2 days ahead. Serve the fruit chilled or bring it briefly to room temperature for fuller flavour.

Swaps

• Use raspberries instead of strawberries and roast until collapsed and glossy with syrup.
• Use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract instead of the pod, stirring it in after removing the pan from the heat.

Storing

Cover and refrigerate the panna cotta and strawberries separately for up to 2 days. Keep chilled until serving.