White Chocolate Rum Panna Cotta

Cook Time 2 hours + overnight refrigeration

Servings 8

Ingredients

600ml cream
1 vanilla pod
Rind from ½ lemon
100g icing sugar
200ml cream, whipped
90ml milk
2.1 sheets gold leaf gelatine
65g white chocolate
20ml rum

Roasted Pear
6 Williams pears, firm
200g caster sugar
35ml pear cider
30ml calvados

Method

Combine 600ml cream, vanilla and lemon rind and place into a deep pot. Bring to the boil then lower to a simmer and reduce down to yield 400ml.  Pass off vanilla and lemon and allow to cool slightly.  Whisk cream to medium peaks over ice. Reserve.

Soak the gelatine in iced water for 5 minutes.  Place the chocolate over a double boiler boil and melt gently.  Place the milk in a pot and bring to simmer, squeeze out water from gelatine sheets and add to milk to melt, but do not boil. Pass the milk mixture on to the chocolate and stir to combine, fold in calvados and the reduced vanilla scented cream. Once mixture is cool fold the whipped cream and white chocolate mix together. Pour into desired bowls and allow to set for minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight.

For the roasted pear, peel the pear and using a parisienne cutter cut balls from the pears. Place sugar in a wide based frying pan, place over high heat, once sugar starts to melt add the pear balls, allow them to colour golden then shake pan to move. Once they are evenly coloured deglaze pan with cider and reduce down, if pears are a little firm still then add a bit of water and cook until just tender.