Make the most of the apples and pears readily available at supermarkets and fruit shops plus earn bragging rights with this delicious panna cotta recipe from Tru-Cape 

INGREDIENTS

For the pannacotta:

  • 2t castor sugar
  • 1t gelatin
  • 1 cup fresh cream
  • 2t runny honey
  • 3 large ripe forelle pears, peeled and diced into small pieces
  • 2t fresh lime juice

For the red wine syrup:

  • 500 ml red wine
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 star anise

METHOD

  1. Mix together the caster sugar and gelatin.
  2. Heat the cream and honey very gently over low heat, do not boil. Add the sugar mixture and keep stirring until the gelatin has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
  3. Stir the diced pear and lime juice together to prevent browning, then divide it between 6 small glasses.
  4. Gently pour in the cream mixture.
  5. Place in the fridge to set – about 2 hours minimum. This can be made a few hours before serving.

To make the red wine syrup:

Pour the wine into a saucepan. Add the sugar and the spices and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Turn down the heat to low and simmer to the consistency you desire, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Remember: the syrup will thicken on cooling, so don’t reduce it too far.

To serve: remove panacotta from fridge and drizzle with red wine syrup on top.

(This recipe serves 6 people)