Pannacotta TI AMO!

How could I ever forget BAR NOVARA? I used to walk in there every single day of my young life! The amount of Saila Menta sweets I must have bought in there! And the ice cream... the ice cream was so delicious! How could I ever forget the smell of coffee, as you walked into the place, the shiny silver bar and the sound of "that" ice cream being made by hand!

I can still see my little self, unable to see what was above the bar, buying ice cream! And the ice cream we liked was a sandwich of whipped cream between two thick, soft biscuits, which melted as you ate it! YUM!

I think it's because of that ice cream that I like creme brulee so much and... pannacotta! I made pannacotta, today, to experiment and... yes... it's quite delicious! When you eat it your pupils dilate just like they do when you are in love. And I think I am in love! Pannacotta: "TI AMO!"

Vanilla Pannacotta

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

1/2l (16fl oz) double cream

50g (2 oz) sugar

1 vanilla pod

or some vanilla essence

1 packet powder gelatin

or: 3 sheets gelatin

soaked in 1/2l (1pt) cold water

and wrung

3tbsp cold water

fruit and melted chocolate

to decorate

Heat the cream and the sugar in a pan. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and add. You can also add the pod. Leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water, in a bowl, and leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Next, reheat the cream and add to the gelatin. At this stage, you can discard the pod. Stir to dissolve the gelatin. Your pannacotta is now ready! If you wish to turn your individual pannacotta out of a dish, remember to oil the container. Otherwise, you can pour you cream into a coffee cup, a wine goblet, a ramekin dish... anything

I like pannacotta, as you can be creative with the finished sweet. Having poured your cream into the pots, these will have to be refrigerated for 2 to four hours (and you can make these 24 hours before you need them! Perfect!)

You can now "create your pudding. I used fruit and chocolate (grapes dipped in dark chocolate) and sprigs of mint, but you can use fresh fruit with coulis or anything, really! whatever you do with it, it will taste MAGNIFICO!