PANNA COTTA - CREME FRAICHE WITH BLACKBERRY COMPOTE AND FRENCH BUTTER COOKIES

By akselden

Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.

Ingredients

• CREME FRAICHE PANNA COTTA:
• 1/2 C. cold whole milk
• 3 1/2 heaping tsp. unflavored gelatin
• 3 C. heavy cream
• 6 T. granulated sugar
• 1/2 C. plus 2 T. creme fraiche
• BLACKBERRY COMPOTE:
• 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds removed
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 1/4 C. water
• 1/4 C. cassis liquor
• 2 pints blackberries
• 1/4 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• FRENCH BUTTER COOKIES:
• 1 C. butter, softened
• 1/4 C. confectioners' sugar
• 1 T. dark brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 7/8 C. pastry flour
• 3/8 C. bread flour
• Granulated sugar

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

FOR CREME FRAICHE PANNA COTTA
1. Pour milk into large bowl, sprinkle gelatin over top and stir to combine.

2. In medium saucepan, bring cream and sugar to boil. Turn off heat and let sit a few minutes. Slowly whisk mixture into dissolved gelatin. Once combined, cool to room temperature. Then, slowly whisk in creme fraiche. Divide mixture evenly among 6 glasses or molds, and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until set.

FOR BLACKBERRY COMPOTE
3. Place 5" x 5" piece of cheesecloth on counter. Place first 3 ingredients in center of cheesecloth. Bring ends of cheesecloth toward center and knot with butcher's twine to form sachet. Place sugar and water in 1 qt. nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. When sugar begins to caramelize on edges of pan, swirl carefully until all sugar melts and mixture is color of peanut butter. Turn off heat and slowly add cassis, avoiding contact with steam. When steam subsides, add sachet and 1 pint blackberries. Turn heat to low and cook 15 minutes.

4. Remove sachet and puree mixture. Strain through fine sieve and toss with remaining pint of blackberries and thyme. Refrigerate about 1 hour.

FOR FRENCH BUTTER COOKIES
5. Place butter, confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and salt in bowl of heavy-duty mixer with paddle attachment. Cream mixture on low until combined, about 30 seconds. Sift both kinds of flour together and set aside. With mixer, add 1/3 at hour to bowl. Turn mixer on low and mix 10 seconds. Repeat in 2 more batches with remaining flour. Use spatula to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, and mix dough 10 seconds. Remove dough and form into 5" disc. Wrap disc in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.

6. Heat oven to 350°. Divide dough in half. Place one half on floured surface and roll to 1/8" thick with rolling pin. Using fluted, 2 1/2" diameter round cutter, cut as many cookies as dough yields. With offset spatula, transfer to parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing them 1/2" apart. Remaining dough can be re-rolled once. Sprinkle generously with granulated sugar and bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and cool in pan.

TO SERVE:
8. Remove panna cotta from refrigerator. Spoon 1 T. Blackberry Compote on top of panna cotta. Serve each dish with 2 French Butter Cookies.