Lemon Verbena & Yogurt Panna Cotta, Pound Cake, Whipped Cream & Strawberries

May 14, 2019 | Flavor, NC

Recipe courtesy of Chef Colin Bedford.
as seen on episode “Fearrington | Pittsboro, NC“, Season 8

Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

6 oz. Greek Yoghurt
10 oz. Half & Half Cream
3 oz. Sugar
2 Gelatin sheets
2 Vanilla Beans
1Tbsp. Dark Rum
Lemon Verbena

To make Panna Cotta:
Infuse the cream by placing the vanilla bean and Lemon Verbena in the cream with the sugar and bring to a boil, let stand for an hour at room temperature. Place the gelatin in cold water until soft. Warm the cream and vanilla mixture, add the rum and soft gelatin. Strain mixture into an ice bath and cool down until the heat has gone, add the yoghurt and continue to chill until the vanilla seed starts to float. Then pour into 2 or 4 single serving ramekin and chill for at least 6 to 8 hours over night is better. You can also use a glass and have a combination of flavors and textures in the glass.

Lemon Pound Cake

5 eggs
12.4 oz. Sugar
5.4 oz. cream
3 Lemons
1oz. Rum
½ tsp. Salt
3.5 oz. Melted Butter
9.5 oz. Cake Flour
2 oz. Baking Powder
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Paste

To make the Lemon Cake:
Using the paddle mix on the Kitchen Aid mix together the eggs, sugar, cream and lemon zest. Once fully mixed together add the rum and salt and then finally add the melted room temperature butter.

Sift together the cake flour and baking powder. Once you have a smooth batter in the bowl, stop and add the vanilla paste. Pour directly in a dish or tray where the cake batter will be about ½ inch thick. Continue to cook in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until a cake taster comes out clean.

Whipped Cream

4c. Whipping Cream
5oz. Sugar
1Tbsp. Powdered Gelatin
6 Tbsp. Water

To make the Whipped Cream:
Weigh out all ingredients. Make sure the water is in a small bowl big enough for you to whisk while pouring the gelatin in a steady stream preventing lumps, allow the gelatin to bloom.

Meanwhile heat half the cream on medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Melt the gelatin in the microwave and then combine all remaining ingredients and allow to set over night.

Strawberry Jelly

4c. Strawberries
1 ½ c. Sugar
1 ½ c. Water
1 Lemon (Zest)
1 Orange (zest)
1sprig Mint
1sprig Basil
1Tbsp.Vanilla Paste
1Tbsp.Raspberry Vinegar
7 Gelatin sheets

To make the Strawberry Jelly:
Reserve the gelatin and then combine all other ingredients in a metal bowl and wrap in plastic wrap and place directly on a pan of boiling water for about an hour. Then strain the clear juice off.
Soak the gelatin in ice water until soft. Then remove from water squeezing out any excess water. Melt in the microwave and add to 4 cups of berry juice. Once your panna cottas is set, slowly cool down the berry juice in an ice bath and pour on top and allow to set, 6-8 hours will work but overnight is best.

Plating:
Once you have the panna cotta topped with jelly, whip the cream and place into piping bags, rip down the lemon cake, cut the strawberry and now you are ready to plate.

I like to add a couple of items to the dish that you can get at the store: shortbread and either strawberry ice cream or sorbet. I smash up the shortbread and then take the smaller pieces and turn them into a crumb and put in the middle of the bowl and place the ice cream directly on top and then arrange the rest of the ingredients around the outside.

Tags: Lemon Verbena & Yogurt Panna Cotta, Pound Cake, Strawberries, Whipped Cream