Orange Espresso Panna Cotta with Coffee Gelee Delight ~ 柳橙咖啡奶凍芭菲

I have been purchasing books left and right. Some related to fashion, a few about photography and lots (of course) on dessert and food. Did I ever mention that I am a sucker on all things beautiful? I caved in every time when I saw books that feature exceptional photos of food! If I dare to balance my checkbook, I’ll probably find that hundreds of dollars were spent on books for the last 3 months! Why the obsession? So when I am hungry and lazy (or dieting), I can just flip through them to feed off on all the mouth watering pictures >0< Guarantee calories free!

Lately, I am in the mood for festive desserts as we are stepping into my favorite time of the year: holiday! On the posts to come, this will be the theme! I will start with a Tony Wong’s recipe from his 2nd dessert book, which is beautifully illustrated in pictures and most desserts are decidedly lovely, and usually with a twist. I also like the step-by-step decorating techniques that he demonstrated and the best part yet, printed in bilingual (Chinese & English)! This way I can switch back and forth in Chinese and English if I shall find words that I don't recognize! Although this book is more for intermediate and beyond but I think a lot of recipes are fairly easy for novice too.

My lust for this orange espresso panna cotta with coffee gelee delight is best portrayed by my immediate reaction of getting up and checking my fridge and cupboards for ingredients and made a trip to Whole Food when I realized I have no cream in the fridge on a rainy night!!! It looked so darn good! A translucent layer of coffee gelee is sandwiched between two decadently creamy layers of panna cotta - one infused with finely ground espresso, the other perfumed with orange zest. I found the combo odd and unusual at first (chocolate & orange, yes! coffee & orange???!) Indeed, Tony was right on that because the combination of flavors beautifully exploits the natural affinity between coffee and cream, and coffee and orange. It is suggested that glasses should be use to show off the striking layers! I think this dessert would make a grand finale for the Thanksgiving dinner, something different rather just pumpkin pie or chocolate cake. Alright, maybe you can have this and some pie too!



8 servings of 4oz glass (I use shot glasses)

Espresso Panna Cotta
250g heavy or double cream
100g milk
45g granulated sugar
1tbs freshly ground coffee (I use Illy)
5g gelatine leaf

Coffee Gelee
2 ¼tbs freshly ground coffee
22g granulated sugar
150g water
2.5g gelatine leaf

Orange Panna Cotta
125g heavy or double cream
50g milk
22g granulated sugar
1/2 orange Zest
2.5g gelatine leaf

Orange Bubbles
125g freshly squeeze orange juice
18g granulated sugar
2.5g gelatine leaf

I thought you should know:
--My orange bubble was a failure ~__~, Tony has pointed out that bubbles won’t form until mixture is cool to a certain temperature! However, it shouldn’t be completely cooled or it will be set and you can't beat bubbles out of it.
--Make sure each layer is set before adding another layer on top. The layers will blend together if it is not set completely. Please see the less imperfect one that I included.
--This dessert can be make the day before and must be eaten within 2 days.

- Starts with the espresso cream mixture. Place the cream, milk, sugar and ground coffee in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, put on the cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture into a stainless bowl then add the pre-soaked gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Put the bowl into a bath of ice water to help it cool. When it is lukewarm, pour into glasses and place into fridge to set. At least 25 to 35 minutes.

- Bring water, ground coffee and sugar to a boil. Strain then add the pre-soaked gelatin and stir until it completely dissolved. Place in ice water bath to cool until lukewarm. Pour coffee gelee onto set espresso panna cotta then place back into fridge (another 25 to 35 minutes).

- Wash and scrub the orange using a vegetable brush before beginning the zest process. Be careful not to get any of the white bitter part of the orange. I need half of zest of an orange so I saved the orange for later for the orange bubble. Repeat the cream mixture process; boil – steep – strain – gelatin – water bath – cool down. Pour the orange cream mixture on top of the set coffee gelee and place in fridge to set.

- Just moments before serving, bring the orange juice and sugar to a boil then add the gelatin. Place in water bath and once it is cool enough, beat till bubbles formed. Spoon into glasses and wow your guests!


我有透露過我對美好﹐漂亮的東西是沒有抵抗能力的嗎? "Don't judge a book by its cover" 這格言對我來說很是陌生…呵呵…可能是學design的關係吧﹗重皮相是職業病﹗理所當然的當我看到有著迷死人不償命的照片的烹飪書 (明明寫的不怎樣) ﹐結果通常只有一個﹐就是把它們打包帶回家﹐所以我現在才那麼窮呀~__~﹐為何我這麼沉迷於收集這些書?!理由就是用作催眠自己用的。我想當餓了又不想動或是減肥的時候﹐就翻書看圖片﹐幻想自己在吃那些美味的食物﹐好不滿足噢;op

美國現在正步入為期個多月的節日mode﹐我的心情也跟著飛揚起來。這可是一年裡我最期待﹐最愛的時光。各色各樣的Thanksgiving及Christmas裝飾讓人覺得幸福﹐過節氣氛有夠強烈的哩。為了過節﹐往後的幾個甜點我將以celebration為主題噢^0^現在就從這道柳橙咖啡奶凍芭菲開始嘍﹗食譜來自Tony Wong的第二本甜點書(我將食譜做了一些變動)。Tony 的甜點是華麗又充滿驚喜的。他的兩本著作非常具有收藏的價值因為圖文並茂﹐並且是中英對照﹗以上第二點對我很重要﹐因為要是我有看不懂的中文﹐我就可以看英文的﹗雖說屬於中階班或以上﹐發覺有很多recipe是新手也能輕鬆做。話說以前弄過從他第一本著作學來的一道意式奶凍﹐並且從此尊定我甜點達人的地位…嘿嘿…so我對這道奶凍芭菲很期待喲:-D

單是這道柳橙咖啡奶凍芭菲的賣相就給它5個星。層次分明(共四層)﹐恰是漂亮。兩種口味的panna cotta:一是由特濃咖啡做成的﹔二是加了柳橙皮的fusion風味。夾在兩者中間是由即磨即製的特濃咖啡做成的濃郁咖啡凍﹐再配合滿是驚喜的柳橙泡沫凍﹐整個就是引死我還差點給自己的口水淹死…呵呵…其實我也不是對柳橙與咖啡組合沒有保留。柳橙與巧克力﹐perfect。柳橙與咖啡(?!)﹐少見的哩﹗可嘗過這組合後﹐覺得很能互相將味道突顯出來。濃郁的咖啡與清甜的柳橙渾然天成﹐就算不是天作之合也是充滿火花的配搭﹗兩者一起吃的時候﹐咖啡的香濃與柳橙的甜味﹐齒頰留香。我特愛那咖啡奶凍。濃郁誘人﹐甘香軟滑來形容最恰當了。但如果咖啡的味道更濃一些就完美了。

南瓜派吃太多﹐也膩了吧?今年的Thanksgiving大餐﹐不妨做個新的嘗試﹐保證給你的味蕾帶來全新的衝擊。



咖啡奶凍
250g 忌廉/ 鮮奶油
100g 牛奶
45g 砂糖
1湯匙 即磨咖啡 (我用Illy品牌的咖啡豆)
5g 明膠片

咖啡凍
150g 清水
22g 砂糖
2¼湯匙 即磨咖啡
2.5g 明膠片

橙香奶凍
125g 忌廉/ 鮮奶油
50g 牛奶
22g 砂糖
½ 個 柳青
2.5g 明膠片

鮮橙汁泡沫
125g 鮮橙汁
2.5g 明膠片

事前準備:
--明膠片用冰水泡軟之後擠掉水分，備用。如果用明膠粉: 將其倒入水裡泡脹後備用。
--咖啡豆磨成粉。

要注意什麼呢?
--要確實奶漿層都完全凝固才可再倒入另一層﹐這樣才有承托力。請看照片。不難發現那個瑕疵品。
--鮮橙汁泡沫要座冰水打發﹐因低溫才能將泡沫打出漂亮的形態。我的是不怎成功的作品 :'( …奔淚中…
--因為是奶製品﹐最好在兩天內吃完噢。

製作咖啡奶漿。將鮮奶油、牛奶、砂糖、和即磨咖啡混合裝進小鍋裡，開中火煮沸後熄火。燜10分鐘待咖啡出味﹐篩過後加入泡軟的明膠片﹐攪拌至融化混合。將咖啡奶漿連容器一起放冰水中放涼﹐約15分鐘。待微溫時﹐盛入杯子至半滿，然後放入冰箱冷凍至表面凝固﹐約25-35分鐘﹐備用。

咖啡凍做法與咖啡奶漿相似﹐煮沸即磨咖啡和砂糖﹐燜10分鐘待咖啡出味﹐篩過後加入泡軟的明膠片，攪拌至融化混合。放冰水中放涼﹐約15分鐘。為免底層受熱溶解﹐需待微溫時﹐才能倒入杯子中。冷凍至表面凝固﹐約25-35分鐘﹐備用。

柳橙要洗乾淨才可取柳青。要注意不要zest到柳皮下的白色部份﹐很苦的。橙香奶凍做法與以上的相似。將鮮奶油、牛奶、砂糖、和柳青開中火煮沸後熄火。燜10分鐘待柳青出味﹐篩過後加入泡軟的明膠片，攪拌至完全融化。將柳橙奶漿放冰水中放涼﹐約15分鐘。待微溫時﹐盛入杯子中﹐然後放入冰箱冷凍至表面凝固﹐約25-35分鐘﹐備用。

鮮橙汁泡沫是要上桌時才製作的。將鮮橙汁煮沸後加入泡軟的明膠片﹐攪拌至融化混合。待微溫時﹐座冰水打發出泡沫﹐把泡沫分別加到杯子中便成。