Four seasons panna cotta - Spring Glass recipe

Back at CCS I joined a group challenge called The Artist's seasons 2011.
And decided to make some cake. First I thought about pies/crostatas, but then I opted for panna cotta.
Here is the Spring Glass or Bicchiere primavera creation (copy paste from CCS method :-) ):

Bicchieri Primavera or Spring Glasses

You will need:

For the lemon cream:

2 lemons

150 gr sugar

3 eggs

50 gr butter

For the panna cotta:

0,5 l cream

1 vanilla bean

10 gr gelatine ( I used unflavored granulated prepared with 4 spoons of cold water)

For the caramelized orange and sauce:

1 cup sugar

0,5 cup water

1 orange

1 lemon

First you make the lemon cream.

You can use any other citrus you prefer.

Zest and juice the lemons.

In a metal bowl wisk together 1 egg+2 egg yolks and the sugar until light.

Add lemon juice and stir.

Cook on bain marie (double boiler; over until boiling water) until thick. It takes about 10 minutes. When the cream thickens, add a pinch of lemon zest (or more if you want a stronger taste) and cook a bit more to release the flavour.

Remove the bowl and add the sliced butter. Stir until melted and well combined. You wil get a smooth, thick cream.

Let cool.

The cream can be made a day in advance.

Basic panna cotta method:

Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds.

Combine in a saucepan the liquid cream, sugar, seeds and bean.

Prepare the gelatine. (You can use the type you prefer)

Place the sacepan on the stove and bring to boil. Remove the vanilla bean and cook for a couple more minutes.

Remove from the heath and add the gelatine. Stir until well combined.

Put the panna cotta into cups, glasses, or any other container or mold while it is still hot because it thickens and hardens as it cools down.

After it cools at room temperature refrigerate it for 4 hours.

To remove panna cotta from a mold insert the mold in very hot water (the outer layer will melt) and then turn onto a plate.

Caramelized oranges and caramel sauce.

In a pan combine water and sugar and stir well. Put on stove on low heat to melt the sugar.

Wash the orange, slice it crosswise into 0,5 cm slices and then cut away the peel.

Put the slices into the pan and cook. The liquid should simmer.

Turn the slices over a couple of times.

When the caramel sauce is very thick and the orange slices "transparent". Take out the slices and put them on a piece of backing paper or oiled surface to cool.

Juice the lemon and add the juice to the caramel sauce, stir until well combined. Remove pan from the stove.

Now, to recap:

1. make the lemon cream

2. make caramelized oranges and caramel- lemon sauce

3. make panna cotta

How to assemble the Bicchieri Primavera:

1. Pour hot caramel sauce into glasses (while it is still liquid)

Let cool for a while in a cold place an meanwhile make the panna cotta.

2. Add the lemon cream.

When I inserted the lemon cream the sauce was still warm but thicker, so I got the "sinking" look of the cream into the sauce.

3. Pour hot panna cotta into the glasses carefully.

4. Let cool and refrigerate overnight.

5. Decorate with caramelized orange slices and melissa (or mint) leaves.

YUMMMM!!!

A little postcard from the fridge ad a note...

I think I should have used less gelatine. I wish the panna cotta was softer.

But you can try and adjust according to taste.

:-)))

Anyone wants to try?