Lavender Panna Cotta & Rhubarb Coulis
My brain is on overload. It’s the season for strawberries, raspberries, asparagus, rhubarb… all the things I love are in season all at once, and some of them not for very long. So where to start? What to make first? I’d like to have a giant kitchen where I can lay out ingredients for four dishes at once, make the first, then move on to the next, and so on. And of course have the time to do it all. Well, there’s always next week, when we’ll have another public holiday that falls on a Thursday, we usually take Friday off, so I’ll have a long 4-day weekend to get stuck in the kitchen with my to do list.
With so much food in season right now, I had to sit down and write a list of what I want to make and prioritize it according to what I already bought at the market and what will be out of season soon. Last week I made rhubarb & vanilla jam, and I had some rhubarb left, so I was thinking of things to make from it. One of the things that came to mind was rhubarb panna cotta with lavender syrup. Which I then couldn’t visualise after all, so I just turned it around, and voilà – we have today’s Lavender Panna Cotta & Rhubarb Coulis.
If you’ve been a reader for some time, you’ll know that I just love panna cotta, and have posted quite a few versions already. Panna cotta is just so adaptable, I’m always amazed what you can combine it with, spruce it up with and spice it up with. And it’s prepared so quickly. Unfortunately, it’s consumed way too quickly, too…
This version is another winner for me, well worth making. Even though the coulis turned out a little thicker than I had imagined, tastewise it was even better than I had expected. To me, the flowery taste of lavender combined with the slightly sour rhubarb felt like a veritable explosion of tastes on the tongue.
You can make the panna cotta in advance – it needs refrigerating for at least for 4 hours, or overnight. You can also prepare the rhubarb beforehand, as the peeling and cutting takes a little time, too.
Lavender Panna Cotta & Rhubarb Coulis
Panna Cotta
250 ml cream
25 g sugar
2 gelatine sheets*
1 tbsp dried lavender buds, chopped
Coulis
250 g rhubarb, peeled and diced
65 g sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
*Note: 1 German gelatine sheet weighs 0,6 g and is 12 x 7 cm of size. This might vary in other countries!
For the panna cotta, soak gelatine sheets in cold water. Bring cream, sugar, and chopped lavender buds to a boil, then reduce heat and keep simmering for 10 minutes.
Squeeze out gelatine leaves. Strain lavender cream through a sieve to remove lavender buds, and discard buds.
Quickly whisk gelatine into the cream, making sure there are no lumps. Pour into moulds of your choice (small bowls, ramekins, espresso cups… the choices are endless) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. [I always refrigerate overnight. If you intend to serve the panna cotta in the moulds, cover it with clingfilm so it doesn't form a skin. If you're going to turn it out onto dessert plates, that won't be necessary.]
For the coulis, bring rhubarb and sugar to a boil, then let simmer – stirring frequently – for about 15 minutes. Either strain the rhubarb through a sieve, or purée, then stir in the lemon juice. [I puréed the rhubarb, and for taking pics - because honestly, the colour does not look too appealing - added some red food colouring.]
Arrange panna cotta with the rhubarb coulis. The coulis should be served either directly after cooking, or lukewarm.
I’ll have to file this great recipe for when that beautiful season comes our way. The leaves on my trees are nearly all gone. I’m in soup and stew season…. But these photos remind me of warm sunshine
It’s definitely worth filing – but then, I’d have to say that
Beautiful! I’ve been planning on making panna cotta soon, but I think this one will usurp the other recipe. Rhubarb and lavender sounds like a great combination.
Thank you! It is a great combination, and I’m already thinking of combining the two in something else, maybe baking.
You know I love it because…..!
Haha – but this is actually a different one! I just bought it last Saturday. This one’s smaller, and the wires are a little ornate, whereas the other one is the “standard for German households” – a no-nonsense one
nice recipe and props
I totally know what you mean with all this good seasonal produce. I literally had to stop and write because I was buying all this food and my fridge is so tiny. Rhubarb does not like to hang outside of the fridge for too long. Currently… at this moment finishing off a piece of toast with strawberry rhubarb jam leftover from the compote with pancakes, leftover from the strawberry rhubarb cobbler. What a lovely week it’s been filled with reds and loads of cream!
Oooh strawberry rhubarb jam – intended to make that, too, at the weekend but decided on strawberry & lemon thyme at the last minute (too lazy to peel more rhubarb…). Definitely need to make another rhubarb jam before the season ends!
No peeling happening here. Only the asparagus… My jam was sort of between compote and jam. Not jelly like but reduced and spreadable on toast. I love the combo of strawberry and lemon thyme.
I haven’t tasted the strawberry lemon thyme mix yet – just made it last night, but will try tonight. If it’s any good I might post it
Ohhh I love panna cotta anyway so this sounds so yummy…