White Chocolate Panna Cotta!

Ever since that lovely meal I had at Rosetta in Melbourne and especially that panna cotta with strawberry rhubarb compote (...that was to die for!), it was so good, I wanted to make my own...and so I did (minus the compote)!

This is actually the second time I've played with this recipe because the first time I made it, I was in Australia but because I'm super OCD and I didn't have my "special" food photo dishes, I didn't really take any pictures...well I did but none of them blog worthy, more for personal celebrations more than anything. I figured I wouldn't be devastated if I had to make that again, it was pretty darn good. Now all I have to do is figure out how to make that strawberry compote...my mouth is already watering just thinking about it...

As it turns out, panna cottas are super easy to make, don't let those cooking competition shows on TV intimidate you, its really not that bad and most importantly, it will set (unless of course you forget an ingredient in which case, it might become a nice cool thick cup of white cocoa). This recipe calls for vanilla beans but I'm sure using vanilla extract will do just fine. I wanted to use vanilla beans and at this moment, I'd like to take a tangent: What the heck?? Vanilla beans are so hard to find! I looked in normal chain grocery stores and nothing! Finally found them at Whole Foods (which I love...and that can be a bit dangerous as their stuff is normally pricer than other stores)...but anyways I also thought it'd be a good time to make some panna cotta to console myself on the Niner's loss against the Seahawks last night... quite devastating... Regardless, we had good season not the ideal end but we'll come back next year fighting hard again, QUEST for 6!

Now that is slightly out of my system, lets get back happier things. In the last few of my blog posts, I've been sharing some of my vacation pictures so lets continue (still in Australia):

Wine tasting @ Yering Station:
It'd be wrong not to go to at least one or 2 wineries being in the wine industry

Delicious meal @ Whispering Vines Cafe, Trofeo Estates: 

Enjoying my summer fruits:
Cherry and strawberry pickings (and enjoying the lovely view)

Reaching new heights @ Mt Feathertop:
...of course to burn off all that I've eaten 

And of course delicious panna cotta recipe:

White Chocolate Panna Cotta!
Adapted from Donna Hay (aka as I like to call her the Australia Martha Stewart)
Makes 4 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tsp gelatine 
• 1/8 cup of milk
• 2 cups of heavy whipping cream (or 500ml)
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 50 g of white chocolate

Procedures:

1. Place gelatine in a small bowl, pour over milk and let stand for 2-3 minutes
2. Place cream , sugar, and vanilla in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat
3. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth (can remove from heat at this stage)
4. Add gelatine mixture and whisk until dissolved
5. Strain and pour into containers. Refrigerated for 4-6 hours before serving.