Blood Orange Panna Cotta

Ever since I made the decision to start a food blog, I knew I had to make something with blood oranges. I have been waiting with bated breath for them to come into season so I could get my little mitts on them.
I love blood oranges, not just for the beautiful ruby veins that run through the flesh, but for their flavour; slightly more tart than your average orange, but with an almost berry like flavour lurking in there. 

I chose to make a Panna Cotta with my haul because, well, I have never made it before and as I have mentioned before, this a place for learning, children...and then eating.
I found this recipe on epicurious. I chose it because of the fact that it calls for Greek yoghurt which would be a perfect foil for the sweet syrup which is spiked with fragrant cardamon. The combination is to die for. 

Not only that, but it is dead easy to make and the only hard part is waiting for the thing to set! Don't reduce the syrup for too long, I only did it for around 10 minutes because it is very sweet and you don't want to overpower the delicate flavour of the panna cotta. 

Enjoy!

Blood Orange Panna Cotta 

adapted from this recipe at epicurious

Serves 3 large portions (pictured) or 6 small

2 1/3 Cups of freshly squeezed blood orange juice.

• 1 3/4 tsp powdered gelatine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 7 teaspoons finely grated blood orange zest
• 2/3 cup fat-free Greek yoghurt
• 2/3 cup thickened cream
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• Approx 16 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 blood orange, peeled, pith removed and segmented

For the Panna Cotta

• Pour 1 cup of the blood orange juice in a saucepan with the gelatine stir and then leave to stand for 10 - 15 minutes.
• Add 5 tsp of the grated zest and 1/2 cup of sugar. Stir untill the sugar desolves over a medium heat.
• Strain into a jug, pressing on the zest to extract as much flavour as possible. Set aside to cool
• Meanwhile, whisk together the yoghurt, cream and lemon juice in a bowl. 
• Once the juice has cooled, whisk through the yoghurt/cream mixture until pale pink and well combined.
• Transfer the mix back into a jug and divide amongst your vessels of choice.

For the blood orange and cardamom syrup

• Stir the remaining 1 1/3 cups of juice together with 1/2 cup of sugar, cardamom and remaining 2 tsp of zest over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• Bring the heat up to a boil for 10 minutes (stirring frequently)  or until the syrup has reduced to a consistency of your liking. 
• Take off the heat and cool in the fridge until needed. 

Once the panna cotta is set, spoon a couple of teaspoons of the syrup over and top with a segment of blood orange.