Agar Agar and I have a love and hate relationship! Let me explain!
From time to time I have use agar agar to stabilize mousse for my cakes and it was worked wonderfully. I loved the possibility of producing the same end result but without using gelatin. But when it comes to panna cotta, I just won’t stabilize! This was my third panna cotta which failed spectacularly when I made using agar agar(sad). Hence the love and hate!
But this recipe is full of love (and lots of yummy creamy almond pistachio mix)!
One might be already sold on the concept of milk with the richness of almond and pistachio and flavored with cardamom and saffron; I took it to a next level. Have the same milk panna cotta style!
Pista Badam Milk Panna Cotta
Italian take on an Indian flavored almond pistachio milk.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp gelatine
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 1/4 cup raw pistachio shelled
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp freshly grounded cardamom
- large pinch of saffron 8 to 10 strands
- roasted pistachio and almonds for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and then soak almonds and pistachios in a 1 cup hot boiling water for 20 minutes.
- Drain the water and peel off skins from both almonds and pistachios. It should come off easily.
- In a grinder grind the blanched nuts, 1 tablespoon sugar and milk until smooth and set aside.
- In a sauce pan add the heavy cream, remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, saffron, cardamom powder and the nuts mixture and bring it to light boil. Around 180 F.
- Meanwhile in a small bowls add gelatin and cold water and allow it to sit and bloom for 5 minutes. Be sure that all the gelatin powder is submerged in the water. If there is any dry gelatin left in the bowl, sprinkle some water over it.
- Once bloomed, microwave the gelatin mixture over an interval of 30 seconds until it is melted.
- Whisk the gelatin gently into the heavy cream mixture and pour the panna cotta into a measuring cup or pourable pitcher.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared glasses/containers and place in the fridge until set, about 2 hours. This will easily fill four 4 oz glasses.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish each panna cotta chopped roasted nuts.
Notes
If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, try using agar agar.
Omit 2 tablespoon of water and use 2 tsp of agar agar instead of gelatin. Add agar agar with heavy cream, sugar, saffron, cardamom and nut mixture and whisk continuously until the mixture comes to boil.
