Coffee panacotta with honey sauce

Another simple but delicious and light dessert from my favourite Greek confectioner Mr Parliaros. A classic Italian dessert with the addition of one of the most popular ingredient of the Greek cuisine, the honey. If you can find thyme-flavoured honey the taste will be even greater!

Recipe of Stelios Parliaros,
a prominent Head Confectioner

"Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2009)

 

Ingredients (for 5-6 people)

For the panacotta:
600 ml of cream (35% fat)
150 ml of fresh milk
2 heaped tsp of strong filter coffee
60 gr. of granulated sugar
10 gr. of gelatine leaves

For the honey sauce:
200 gr. of honey (preferably thyme flavoured)
50 ml of lukewarm water

Method:
Put the milk in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil on medium-low heat. When it is heated pour it over the coffee, through a coffee filter, to drain into a jug (or a coffee pot). In this way the milk will get infused by the aroma of the coffee.

Put the gelatine leaves in a bowl filled with cold water to soften them.

In another saucepan put the cream, the sugar and coffee-flavoured milk and warm in medium heat. As soon as the mixture begins to rise with foam, take off the heat.

Squeeze well the gelatine leaves and add them into the saucepan. Stir well with a wooden spoon until the leaves are completely dissolved and leave aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

Divide the mixture equally into individual bowls (or glasses) and leave in the fridge to chill and set for at least 5 hours. ***To remove from the molds, half submerge in hot water just for a few seconds and then invert onto a dessert plate.

In a bowl mix the honey with the lukewarm water, stirring well with a wooden spoon to blend. Pour over the panacotta and serve.