“Spring has arrived! After a winter’s fill of hearty and sometimes dense eating, the changing season gives us the opportunity to lighten up our plates and brighten up our taste buds. When designing dishes for clients as a personal chef, my goal is to create components that layer simple flavors and textures to build to an exciting final product.
This dessert is no exception. A light yet creamy panna cotta is infused with roasted local rhubarb. Gluten-free shortbread, made with oat flour, accompanies with a crumbly crunch. An Earl Grey syrup made from your favorite loose-leaf tea provider ties everything together. Three simple concepts, which by themselves can stand alone, come together as a delicious dessert, greater than the sum of their parts.” – Allison
Ingredients
- 1 pound locally sourced rhubarb
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons rosé or Sauternes wine
- 2 leaves gelatin or 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
- 2½ ounces granulated sugar
- 5 ounces heavy cream
- 11 ounces buttermilk (I used my favorite, Calder) zest from 1 Meyer lemon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3 cups oat flour (Gluten-free Bob’s Red Mill)
- ½ cup rice flour, white or brown
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons loose Earl Grey tea
Preparation
For the Rhubarb (Purée & Garnish):
Cut rhubarb in 2-inch lengths. Put in small roasting pan. Add rosé (or Sauternes) to pan and sprinkle with sugar. Roast at 375° for 15 minutes, or until soft.
Separate 6 ounces of the roasted rhubarb. Purée it in food processor.
Set aside the remainder to use as a garnish for the dessert.
For the Panna Cotta:
If using gelatin leaves, soak in cold water until softened. After 5 minutes, remove from water, squeeze out excess water and set aside.
If using powdered gelatin, sprinkle over ¼ cup cold water. Let sit to bloom.
In a small pan, bring sugar and cream to a simmer. Stir until sugar is dissolved. While mixture is simmering on low, add bloomed gelatin. Stir until gelatin melts, keeping heat low. Gelatin will begin to denature if this comes to a hard boil. Take off heat. Stir cream mixture with reserved rhubarb purée, buttermilk and ½ teaspoon zest from Meyer lemon.
Pour into 4-ounce molds. Chill in fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
For the Shortbread:
Line a 9- by 9-inch baking dish with parchment.
Cream together butter and brown sugar for 1 minute, until lightened. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Press dough into pan and prick with fork. Chill dough for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°. Remove dough from refrigeration. Bake 40 minutes. After slightly cooled, cut into desired shape (traditionally rectangular logs or triangular wedges).
For the Syrup:
Bring sugar and water to a boil. Simmer gently until sugar is totally dissolved. Add tea leaves. Take off heat. Let steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Reduce slightly for thicker syrup.
About this recipe
Assembly:
Set out plates for dessert. To unmold panna cotta, briefly dip the bottoms of the molds in a larger bowl of hot water. Invert panna cotta onto dessert plate. Grate additional Meyer lemon zest on top of panna cotta. Add a spoonful of cooled Earl Grey Syrup to the base of the panna cotta. Add a couple planks of the reserved roasted rhubarb alongside the panna cotta. Line up shortbread on the side of the plate to dip in panna cotta and syrup.
