Recipe of the Week: Pumpkin Panna Cotta
A sweet course with an unusual ingredient.
Kabocha squash, sometimes called a Japanese pumpkin, is the star player in this panna cotta recipe. A small cousin of the squash family that is even sweeter than a butternut squash, it is right at home in a dessert recipe. This one was developed by chef Craig Sung at Forage in Vancouver, a restaurant focused on sustainable, local produce. It yields six desserts, perfect for when it’s your turn to host.
Ingredients
For the squash purée
400 grams kabocha squash
Oil and salt to season
For the panna cotta
6 sheets silver-grade leaf gelatin
250 grams whole milk
365 grams kabocha squash purée
172 grams honey
30 grams white sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon salt
710 grams whipping cream
Method
For the squash purée
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Cut and deseed the kabocha squash.
Season slightly with oil and salt.
Place face down on a baking sheet lined with foil.
Bake until completely soft and tender, approximately 45 minutes.
While hot, scoop out the inside, and blend until smooth.
For the panna cotta
Prepare the gelatin by blooming it in ice water.
Slowly bring the milk, squash purée, honey, sugar, spice, and salt together to a low boil.
Pass the hot liquid through a fine sieve and whisk in the gelatin.
Add the cream.
Cover with plastic wrap directly on the top of the liquid and leave out until slightly cooled.
Pour into a glass or ramekin: approximately 125 grams per serving.
Garnish with ingredients such as toasted pumpkin seeds, brittle, berries, and/or whipped cream. Serve.
