Recipe: Vanilla panna cotta

Ingredients
160ml cold milk
Three leaves of gelatine
Two vanilla pods
One litre of double cream
160g icing sugar

Method
Start by placing the milk in a pan, adding the gelatine leaves and leaving to soak. Slice the vanilla pods lenghways and scrapeout the seeds. Place both the pods and the seeds in a pan with the cream and just bring to the boil.

While the cream is heating, bring the milk to the boil until the gelatine is completely dissolved, add the cream along with the sugar and whisk to mix.

Remove the vanilla pods, pour the mixture into the moulds and palce in the fridge to set for three hours or more.

To turn the panna cotta out onto a dish, dip each mould in hot water for a few seconds and the dessert should slide out.

Recipe: Basic Brulee

Ingredients
1 Ltr Double cream
12 Egg yolks
150g caster sugar
2 Vanilla pods

Method
Place the double cream in a pan & add the two vanilla pods that have been split, Bring the cream to the boil, remove from heat and allow to infuse for two hours
Pass the cream and re-boil
Mix the egg yolks & sugar in a bowl, whisk until white and fluffy
Pour on the cream & whisk well
Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water and continuously whisk until the cream reaches the ribbon stage
Pour into moulds and chill over night