I recently got _A Chef for All Seasons_ by Gordon Ramsey. I didn't really
expect much out of the book but it turned out to be very good. It's
interesting, and the recipe I made from the book turned out very well. One
of his "springtime" recipes is a jasmine-flavored crème brûlée. He also has
a lavender ganache as part of one of the dessert recipes. Intrigued by the
possibilities, I started googling and ran across this site:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Edibl...lowersMain.htm

Based on what I read there, I have this in mind:

Lilac Panna Cotta

Serve panna cotta very cold with lemon-flavored sauce or lightly sweetened
blueberries. Though traditionally unmolded, panna cotta may be chilled and
served in wine glasses and sauced on top. If you would like to make the
panna cotta a day ahead, decrease the gelatin to 2 5/8 teaspoons (2 1/2
teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon), and chill the filled wine glasses or ramekins
for 18 to 24 hours.

1 cup whole milk
2 3/4 teaspoons gelatin [see note above]
3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh lilac petals
7 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch salt

1. Pour milk into medium saucepan; sprinkle surface evenly with gelatin and
let stand 10 minutes to hydrate gelatin. Meanwhile, turn contents of two ice
cube trays (about 32 cubes) into large bowl; add 4 cups cold water. Measure
cream into large measuring cup or pitcher. Add lilac petals and muddle
gently. Set eight wine glasses or 4-ounce ramekins on baking sheet.

2. Heat milk and gelatin mixture over high heat, stirring constantly, until
gelatin is dissolved and mixture registers 135 degrees on instant-read
thermometer, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, add sugar and salt; stir until
dissolved, about 1 minute.

3. Stirring constantly, slowly pour cream with lilac into saucepan
containing milk, then transfer mixture to medium bowl and set bowl over ice
water bath. Stir frequently until thickened to the consistency of eggnog and
mixture registers 50 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10
minutes. Strain mixture into large measuring cup or pitcher, then distribute
evenly among wine glasses or ramekins. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap,
making sure that plastic does not mar surface of cream; refrigerate until
just set (mixture should wobble when shaken gently), 4 hours.

4. Serve panna cotta in wine glasses, or unmold panna cotta from ramekins
and serve immediately.

Bob, in search of organic lilacs

Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Lilac Panna Cotta

<snip>

> 1 cup whole milk
> 2 3/4 teaspoons gelatin [see note above]
> 3 cups heavy cream
> 1/4 cup fresh lilac petals
> 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
> Pinch salt

<and snip again>

> Bob, in search of organic lilacs

Uh, sweetie ... I think the lilac petals are the only thing in this
recipe I'm allowed these days. ;-)

--Lin (loves Bob's panna cotta, but it doesn't love me)

Lin wrote:

>> Lilac Panna Cotta
>
> <snip>
>
>> 1 cup whole milk
>> 2 3/4 teaspoons gelatin [see note above]
>> 3 cups heavy cream
>> 1/4 cup fresh lilac petals
>> 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
>> Pinch salt
>
> <and snip again>
>
>> Bob, in search of organic lilacs
>
> Uh, sweetie ... I think the lilac petals are the only thing in this recipe
> I'm allowed these days. ;-)
>
> --Lin (loves Bob's panna cotta, but it doesn't love me)


Fine! I'll just make lilac Jell-O with Splenda! Fine! Fine! :-Þ

Bob, FINE!

Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Fine! I'll just make lilac Jell-O with Splenda! Fine! Fine! :-Þ
>
> Bob, FINE!

Hee-hee ... ;-)

Tell you what -- you make the lilac panna cotta and I will take a bite
of yours. Better yet, we can have guests and I'll watch you all enjoy
it. Delight through osmosis? Fewer fat grams that way for sure.

--Lin (fine, indeedy!)

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> I recently got _A Chef for All Seasons_ by Gordon Ramsey. I didn't really
> expect much out of the book but it turned out to be very good. It's
> interesting, and the recipe I made from the book turned out very well. One
> of his "springtime" recipes is a jasmine-flavored crème brûlée. He also has
> a lavender ganache as part of one of the dessert recipes. Intrigued by the
> possibilities, I started googling and ran across this site:
>
> http://whatscookingamerica.net/Edibl...lowersMain.htm
>
> Based on what I read there, I have this in mind:
>
> Lilac Panna Cotta
>
> Serve panna cotta very cold with lemon-flavored sauce or lightly sweetened
> blueberries. Though traditionally unmolded, panna cotta may be chilled and
> served in wine glasses and sauced on top. If you would like to make the
> panna cotta a day ahead, decrease the gelatin to 2 5/8 teaspoons (2 1/2
> teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon), and chill the filled wine glasses or ramekins
> for 18 to 24 hours.
>
> 1 cup whole milk
> 2 3/4 teaspoons gelatin [see note above]
> 3 cups heavy cream
> 1/4 cup fresh lilac petals
> 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
> Pinch salt
>
> 1. Pour milk into medium saucepan; sprinkle surface evenly with gelatin and
> let stand 10 minutes to hydrate gelatin. Meanwhile, turn contents of two
> ice
> cube trays (about 32 cubes) into large bowl; add 4 cups cold water. Measure
> cream into large measuring cup or pitcher. Add lilac petals and muddle
> gently. Set eight wine glasses or 4-ounce ramekins on baking sheet.
>
> 2. Heat milk and gelatin mixture over high heat, stirring constantly, until
> gelatin is dissolved and mixture registers 135 degrees on instant-read
> thermometer, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, add sugar and salt; stir until
> dissolved, about 1 minute.
>
> 3. Stirring constantly, slowly pour cream with lilac into saucepan
> containing milk, then transfer mixture to medium bowl and set bowl over ice
> water bath. Stir frequently until thickened to the consistency of eggnog
> and
> mixture registers 50 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10
> minutes. Strain mixture into large measuring cup or pitcher, then
> distribute
> evenly among wine glasses or ramekins. Cover baking sheet with plastic
> wrap,
> making sure that plastic does not mar surface of cream; refrigerate until
> just set (mixture should wobble when shaken gently), 4 hours.
>
> 4. Serve panna cotta in wine glasses, or unmold panna cotta from ramekins
> and serve immediately.
>
> Bob, in search of organic lilacs

Oh my! Now why am I thinking of a rose variant?! Yes, the
problem is finding organic ones.

--
Jean B.

Jean B. wrote:

>> Bob, in search of organic lilacs
>
> Oh my! Now why am I thinking of a rose variant?! Yes, the problem is
> finding organic ones.

Hmmmm .... that got me wondering about the Rose Geraniums I planted for
the express purpose of cooking. Bob has used the leaves in tea before. I
wonder how the flavor would go in panna cotta?

Intriguing spin, the roses.

--Lin (one of my cats LOVES to eat roses)

Lin wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>
>>> Bob, in search of organic lilacs
>>
>> Oh my! Now why am I thinking of a rose variant?! Yes, the problem is
>> finding organic ones.
>
> Hmmmm .... that got me wondering about the Rose Geraniums I planted for
> the express purpose of cooking. Bob has used the leaves in tea before. I
> wonder how the flavor would go in panna cotta?
>
> Intriguing spin, the roses.
>
> --Lin (one of my cats LOVES to eat roses)

I am really into rose-flavored things. Not enough of them
around--and too hard to find organic blossoms.

--
Jean B.