Chocolate Panna Cotta With Cranberry Consommé

makes 6 servings

Panna Cotta:
1 vanilla bean
2 c. (500 mL) whipping cream
1 c. (250 mL) 2% milk
1/2 c. (125 mL) granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. (3 mL) instant coffee granules
1 (7 g) pkg. unflavoured gelatin
1/4 c. (60 mL) cold water

Simple Cranberry Consommé:
1 (340 g) pkg. (3 c./750 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
1 c. (250 mL) granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) raspberry jam
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
Fresh mint sprigs
Shaved white and dark chocolate (optional)

To make panna cotta: Slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using a small sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the inside. Combine bean, seeds, cream, milk and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisk together over medium-low heat just until sugar is dissolved and it begins to boil. Remove 1/2 c. (125 mL) hot cream mixture and stir with cocoa and coffee granules in a small bowl until very smooth and dissolved. Return mixture to saucepan and stir entire cream mixture over low heat until fully blended. Remove from heat. Soak gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes or until soft. Whisk a little of the warm cream mixture into gelatin to melt gelatin completely. Stir gelatin into warm cream mixture until fully dissolved. Lightly butter 6 (1/2 c./125 mL) ramekins or custard cups. Using a fine strainer, strain cocoa cream into prepared ramekins. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight until firm. To make cranberry consommé: Cut each cranberry in half. Combine cranberries in a saucepan with sugar, jam and orange juice. Stir over medium heat just until sugar is dissolved and cranberries are very soft. Gently crush with a potato masher to extract liquid from berries. Pour mixture into a large bowl lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth. Gather up ends of cheesecloth and tie up cranberry mixture. Tie to a shelf in the refrigerator and place bowl underneath to catch juices as they strain. Refrigerate overnight. The next day squeeze cheesecloth to extract as much cranberry juice as you can. Discard pulp. You should have about 3/4 c. (175 mL) cranberry consommé. Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To unmould panna cottas, place bottom of ramekins in warm water for a couple of seconds. Run a knife around the edges to loosen. Gently invert onto dessert plates. Drizzle a little cranberry consommé over each. Garnish with fresh mint and a shaving of chocolate.

Calories 528; Protein 16 g; Carbohydrate 69 g;
Fibre 2.7 g; Fat 28 g/serving

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