LEMON PANNA COTTA WITH LEMON SYRUP

Panna cotta is a simple but delicious Italian dessert. Top with a light drizzle of lemon syrup.

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
¼ cup water
2 cups cream
1 cup milk 
½ cup sugar
grated zest of 2 lemons

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Stir until dissolved then set aside. Add the cream, milk, sugar and lemon zest to a heavy based saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture and whisk until completely dissolved. Strain. Pour the mixture into a good pouring jug, then pour into ramekins or jars. Once the panacotta has cooled, close the jars or cover the ramekins with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Refrigerate for six hours or overnight. Serve with a drizzle of lemon syrup.

Drizzle over pancakes, waffles, or use in cocktails.
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about four to five lemons)
1 cup sugar
zest of 2 lemons
½ cup water

Use a fine grater or zester to remove the zest from the lemons. You can chop the zest finely if you prefer a smoother syrup or leave it in larger strips for a more textured syrup. Juice the lemons to obtain 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and water. Place on a medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once fully dissolved reduce the heat to low. Allow the mixture to simmer on low for 10 to 15 minutes. This will reduce and thicken the syrup while infusing it with the lemon zest. To check if the syrup is ready, dip a spoon into the mixture and let it cool for a moment. The syrup should coat the back of the spoon and have a slightly thicker consistency than water. Once the syrup reaches the desired consistency, remove it from the heat. For a smooth syrup, strain through a fine mesh sieve. Let cool to room temperature. Pour into a jar or bottle. Will store in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Recipe courtesy Amanda Miller 2024 NZ Gardener Garden Diary