Strawberry Panna Cotta with Strawberries
– How to cheat

My mother’s advice was always to have a good 'feed' of strawberries before the short season ended. Well now, of course, the English strawberry season is much longer but it is coming to an end shortly, so this is one last ‘feed’. I admit that calling this ‘panna cotta’ is stretching it, but the original ‘cooked cream’ has long since been eclipsed by various stretched interpretations, so let’s just say it’s a variation on a theme. Isigny AOC 8 per cent fat fromage frais (available from Sainsbury’s) is quite simply the best there is.

Serves 8 (or halve the recipe for 4)

Ingredients

1 x 135 g pack Rowntrees strawberry jelly
5 oz (150 g) golden caster sugar
2lb 8 oz (1.15 kg) strawberries
1 lb 12 oz (800 g) Isigny 8 per cent fat fromage frais

You will also need 8 x 6 fl oz (175 ml) mini pudding basins (or ramekins), lightly oiled with a flavourless oil.

Break the jelly into cubes and put the cubes into a microwaveable measuring jug with 3 oz (75 g) of the sugar. Add 3 tablespoons of water and heat in the microwave on full power for 1-1½ minutes. When the jelly has dissolved, stir 3½ fl oz (100 ml) of cold water into the mixture and leave to cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the strawberries, if they are large, and place them in a dish. Sprinkle them with the rest of the sugar, then cover and leave aside, but don’t put them in the fridge.

Next, in a large mixing bowl, whisk the fromage frais until smooth, then add the cooled jelly mixture and whisk again really well. Now divide the mixture between the pudding basins, filling them to within ½ inch (1 cm) of the rims. Finally, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge (they will take 6-8 hours to set). Purée half of the strawberries to make a sauce.

To serve the panna cotta, gently ease each one away from the edge of the basins (or ramekins) using your little finger or a small sharp knife, then invert them on to serving dishes and serve with the sliced strawberries spooned all around. Finally, drizzle with the strawberry sauce.

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