Basil panna cotta recipe

You can buy basil all year round, but at this time of year it really comes into its own if you’re growing it at home.

Timings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Makes

Four to six, depending on the size of your moulds

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of basil, leaves picked and stalks roughly chopped
• 2 leaves gelatin
• 225g double cream
• 130ml condensed milk
• 330ml buttermilk

Method

1. Blanch the basil leaves and chopped stalks in boiling water briefly, then place in a muslin cloth.
2. Squeeze any excess juice from the leaves and stalks and reserve this. Hang on to the squeezed basil, too.
3. Soak the gelatin in iced water until soft, and meanwhile heat the cream up until it is just boiling. Remove from the heat immediately and add the gelatin leaves (squeezing them in your hands before adding to get rid of the excess water). Stir to dissolve.
4. Strain the cream then add the condensed milk to it, along with the reserved blanched and squeezed basil, and allow to cool.
5. When the cream mixture is cool, strain again, then stir in the buttermilk and reserved basil juice. Mix well.
6. Divide the liquid among glasses or moulds and leave in the fridge to set.