PASSIONATE PINK? PANNA COTTA? AND SO PRETTY!

Pink Panna Cotta with White Chocolate and Cherries is just the deliciously romantic dessert you’ve been looking for on Pinterest! 

It’s super easy to make and is a great do-ahead dessert.  You can make it the day before, or even two days before Valentine’s Day.  You’ll want time on Valentine’s to get ready for your “date night”, right?  Well, this dessert solves that problem, and then some!  

On Valentine’s day, you’ll just need to un-mold, plate, pour your sauces, and voilà!  You’ve got a fabulous, delicious and gorgeous creation to share with your sweetheart.

SHOW YOUR HONEY-BUNCH SOME VALENTINE’S LOVE!  With a Collection of  “Love Tokens”!

Q:  What are Valentine’s Day “LOVE TOKENS”?

 A:  9 I-O-U’s from YOU to your VALENTINE.  And they don’t cost a penny, just love!

I wanted to create a gift that’s clever for Valentine’s day, but didn’t cost much.  Well, not only did I come up with a really cute idea, but it doesn’t cost a penny!

 The only expense is your “love”.  Why not give them 9 different “love tokens” to redeem at a later date, or start on Valentine’s night…

Of course, you can print out multiple copies and give more than 9, OR customize the MIX of tokens to your liking.

WHAT CONTAINER SHOULD YOU USE FOR YOUR VALENTINE’S LOVE TOKENS?

You can use something you have lying around the house, or purchase a “Valentine’s” themed container.  If you want to keep the gift “priceless”, as in NO money spent, a be-ribboned mason jar is great!  Who doesn’t have one hanging around?  You?

Here’s some ideas on how you can package your Valentine’s “Love Tokens”:

• Valentine’s gift bag with tissue paper
• Paper lunch bag decorated with ribbon and stickers/stamps
• Mason jar with a red ribbon and tissue paper inside
• Valentine’s Day mug (or his favorite coffee mug all cleaned up with a bow)
• Reusable sports bottle stuffed with tissue paper and tokens in gym bag (they open it at the gym!)
• Reusable fabric drawstring gift bag 
• Mini-metal bucket with tissue paper and tokens
• Mini shopping bag with basket filler 
• Paper mache heart box – sparkle painted box with decoupage lid

Just download the FREE PDF, print, cut out and you’re in business.

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WHAT ABOUT VALENTINE’S CANDY, NAN?

Did you miss the post on  Valentine’s Day Fancy Candy Hearts & Gift Tags?   Click on the link and check out the gorgeous candies you can make for your Valentine, family and friends.  AND ALL IN ONE AFTERNOON while you’re watching a great rom-com!

They’re double deckers with fabulously fancy tops that are lots of fun to make and eat!  You can get as elaborate as you want, or keep it simple with sprinkles.  Whatever your style, they’ll be “pretty delicious”!

That post also has VALENTINE’S DAY FANCY HEART GIFT TAGS that you can print out to put the “final touch” on your gifts.

The 2-page PDF contains three fold-over gift card designs that are easy to download, print and cut out.

I added a grosgrain ribbon bow to the square tag to give it a little added “somethin’, somthin'”.  There’s also two adorable heart gift tags for all your gift giving needs this Valentine’s Day.

Now you’ve got everything you need for the special day, except dessert!  

PINK PANNA COTTA WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CHERRIES, YUM!

If you’ve made Panna Cotta before, you know that it’s usually a creamy ivory color.  Delicious, but dull…  Since the hot Valentine’s color scheme this year is red, white, black and PINK, I decided it should go pastel!

The big difference between a traditional Panna Cotta recipe and this one is the addition of almond extract,  Kirsch (a clear cherry liquor) and red food coloring.  Have you tasted cherries and almonds together lately?  It’s an incredible flavor combination that is taken to new heights with the addition of a White Chocolate Sauce!

Where the REAL DIFFERENCE comes in is how you serve your Pink Panna Cotta with White Chocolate and Cherries.  

The White Chocolate Sauce is the “underpinning” to your dessert, snuggling the heart-shaped Panna Cotta on the plate.  It’s then smothered with a fabulous Kirsch-spiked Cherry Sauce that’s absolutely divine.

VARIATIONS OF MOLDING YOUR PANNA COTTA

You can use a fancy heart mold like the one pictured above, or plain ramekins, as is the traditional choice. 

What you use depends entirely on what you already own and how many people you plan on serving.   One Valentine’s Day a few years back, H.H. and I hosted a Valentine’s Dinner Party.

I used individual molds and pre-plated the desserts before dinner. Leaving the sauce and topping to be added just before serving.

This allowed me to make some pretty designs on the plates before the party started.

Pink Panna Cotta with White Chocolate and Cherries is a convenient and fabulous dessert for a Valentine’s Day celebration!

Be it for ten or just for two!  It’s entirely up to you.

 

Pink Panna Cotta with White Chocolate & Cherries

Yield: Varies with mold(s)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 12 hours 30 minutes

Pretty in Pink! What a fabulous showstopper dessert for your Valentine's Day celebration. Creamy panna cotta is taken to new heights with a white chocolate sauce and Kirsch-spiked cherries. This recipe is as romantic as it is delicious!

Print

Ingredients

• PINK PANNA COTTA
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 3 Tbs. cold water
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 2 Tbs. Kirsch (cherry liquor) (optional, but fabulous!)
• Red food coloring
• WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE
• 8 oz. white chocolate (good quality is necessary)
• 8 oz. heavy cream
• 1 Tbs. lnstant modified food starch (Cornaby's E-Z Gel from Amazon)
• KIRSCH-SPIKED CHERRIES
• 1 can tart or dark sweet cherries (14.5 oz)
• Up to 1 cup tart cherry juice (Cherribundi is great)
• 3 Tbs. sugar (more for tart cherries if desired)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 - 2 T Instant modified food starch
• 1 Tbs. Kirsch
• Toasted almond slivers or slices

Instructions

1. In a very small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water, stir and set aside. (at least 10 minutes)
2. In a large bowl, whisk together half of the cream, yogurt and almond extract. Add red food coloring, one drop at a time, stirring between until slightly darker than desired shade of pink is achieved. (you'll be adding the uncolored hot cream to this mixture)
3. Heat the remaining cream and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Take the saucepan off of heat, stir in the softened gelatin until completely dissolved in the cream mixture.
5. Pour the hot cream and gelatin into the cream/yogurt, stir in the Kirsch and stir well to combine.
6. Pour the prepared panna cotta mixture into your ramekins or molds and refrigerate uncovered until chilled. When chilled, cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours before serving.
7. To serve, dip the molded panna cotta molds/ramekins in hot water for 30 seconds and unmold onto the serving plate. (hold plate on top of mold and quickly invert)
8. Add sauces or toppings as desired.

WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

1. Place the cream in a medium saucepan and heat until just barely simmering.

2. Add the white chocolate and stir until completely melted. (mixture will be very thin)

3. Take from heat and add 1 1/2 Tbs. EZ-Gel, stirring well to combine. (the mixture will get thicker as it cools)

4. Once sauce is completely cooled, check to see if it is the desired thickness. If not, add the additional 1/2 Tbs. EZ-Gel and stir well to combine. (beware, it will thicken even more in the refrigerator overnight)

KIRSCH-SPIKED CHERRIES

1. Drain liquid from cherries into a 2-cup measure. Add enough tart cherry juice to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid.

2. Heat the cherry liquid, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan until hot.

3. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, Kirsch and food starch, stirring well to combine.

4. When mixture has thickened, stir in the reserved cherries.

TO PLATE PANNA COTTA WITH SAUCE AND CHERRIES:

1. Unmold panna cotta by dipping mold in hot water for 30 seconds. Place plate on top of mold, invert and unmold onto plate.

2. Surround molded dessert with white chocolate sauce, top with cherries and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Notes

The heart mold pictured holds 2.5 cups liquid volume. A standard ramekin holds approximately 1 cup liquid.

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