Friday, January 20, 2012

Layered banana and strawberry panna cotta

Layered banana and strawberry panna cotta
Ingredients:


Banana pulp/ Strawberry pulp 
1/4 cup (to make the pulp, pulse the banana / strawberry in a blender until smooth. Do not use water. You will have to use 1 medium sized banana to make the banana pulp and approx 5-6 strawberries for the strawberry pulp)

1 cup Low fat yogurt 
3/4 cup Condensed milk 
2 tsp Gelatine 
Warm Water 
2 tbsp to dissolve the gelatine
 
Preparation:

step 1
Both the banana and strawberry panna cotta follows the same recipe. The only difference will be the fruit used in each.

step 2
Completely dissolve gelatine in warm water and set aside.

step 3
Place condensed milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to just boil. Now add the dissolved gelatine, remove from flame and leave to cool for a few minutes.

step 4
Meanwhile, whisk together yogurt and fruit pulp (you may use a blender) to form a smooth mixture.

step 5
Add this to the cooled condensed milk- gelatine mixture and mix well.

You may now pour your panna cotta into dessert bowls or glasses and leave to set in the refrigerator. As simple as that?.
The best part about this dessert is that it requires just 4 hours setting time. So it?s an easy whip up when you have some guests coming over.

step 6
Assembly

Well, I layered the strawberry panna cotta over banana.
For this I poured the banana panna cotta in dessert bowls and left it in the refrigerator for an hour.
Make sure that this layer is nearly semi solid. Now slowly spoon in the strawberry layer as well and return the bowls into the refrigerator and leave to set for 4 hrs.

Please remember to cover your dessert bowls with a cling sheet to avoid a film formation on your dessert.

Pizza dough

Pizza dough
Ingredients:


1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
 
Preparation:

step 1
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

step 2
Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.

step 3
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

step 4
Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.

step 5
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place rack on the lowest rung in the oven.

step 6
Roll or stretch by hand each piece of dough into a 12" circle and place on baking sheet or pizza stone. Add your favorite toppings! Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until crust is brown and crispy!

Massaged kale salad

Massaged kale salad
Ingredients:


1 bunch kale
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1/4 -1/2 cup chopped mango
3 tbsp thinly sliced carrot
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 avocado sliced
salt and black pepper to taste
 
Preparation:

step 1
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a pan or in oven.Whisk lemon juice, honey and fresh black pepper in a small bowl. Remove stalks from Kale and tear into bite size pieces. Rinse the leaves really well. Quick dry in a salad spinner if you have one or just pat with tea or paper towel. Place kale leaves in a glass bowl. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some salt over it. Wash your hands and start massaging the kale leaves. Keep doing this for 2 minutes. The leaves will soften and shrink in volume. Throw away the thin stalks that break while massaging.

Transfer to a serving plate. Add chopped mango and sliced carrot. Pour the dressing over the kale and add the toasted pumpkin seeds. Toss and serve garnished with sliced avocado.

step 2
Cooking time is only for toasting pepitas otherwise salad does not need any cooking.