Recipes: Panna Cotta Dessert and Tequila Cocktails

Coconut Panna Cotta (photo courtesy Kimpton Resort + Spa, Cayman Islands)

We love to share a chef’s secret recipe. Here, Chef Massimo De Francesca, the executive chef at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa on Grand Cayman, gives us his dairy-, gluten- and nut-free recipe for Panna Cotta – and a little libation to spice things up!

Recipe for Coconut Delight

(Makes 6-8 portions of roughly 5oz servings)

Chef Massimo De Francesca’s tropical coconut “panna cotta” with mango gel and toasted white chocolate is dairy free, gluten free and nut free.

Ingredients for Panna Cotta:

17.5 oz/w Coconut Milk (in carton, not cans)

17.5 oz/w Coconut Puree

6.25 oz/w Sugar

0.50 oz/w Gelatin

5 each Lime leaves

 

Method:

Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out excess water. Set aside. Bring the coconut milk, coconut puree, sugar and lime leaves to simmer, in a medium pot. Infuse for 30 min, cool down until liquid is cool to touch. Stir evenly and strain, then set in 6/7oz glasses or cups. Let stand in fridge overnight to set firm.

 

Ingredients For Mango Gel

5.25 oz/w Mango Puree

0.80 oz/w Lemon Juice

3.15 oz/w Sugar

0.15 oz/w agar

Method:

In a medium pot, mix all ingredients cold, and bring to a boil. Cool down and set in refrigerator. After mango has set, blend in food processor until smooth. Funnel into a squeeze bottle. Keep chilled.

Ingredients For Toasted White Chocolate

8 oz/w White Chocolate pistils / chocolate chips

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350F. On a sheet tray add a non-stick silt-pad. Layer the white chocolate pieces evenly on pad and place in oven. Allow to start browning after 5-10 minutes. Take out of oven and with a fork evenly move the chocolate around and further bake until it begins to caramelize and brown. 12-20 minutes until crumbles become to separate. Allow to cool.

And to complete the dessert…

On top of Coconut cotta, squeeze the mango gel in small pearl shapes and garnish with a spoon of the white chocolate crumbles. Option, add shaved toasted coconuts and lime zest. Enjoy!

 

Coconut Panna Cotta (photo, courtesy Cayman Islands)

Recipe: Protagonist

This cocktail comes courtesy of Charles Joly,  James Beard Award winner, Master Mixologist

Ingredients

2oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila

1oz lime juice

¾ simple syrup

½ papaya juice or nectar

1 ½ oz fresh grapefruit juice

1 oz dry sparkling wine

2 drops orange flower water on top of finished cocktail

Smoked salt ½ rim

Glass: Collins, no bigger than 12oz, ½ smoked salt rim

Garnish: mint, skewered candied papaya cubes

Recipes courtesy of The Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa

For more info: http://www.visitcaymanislands.ca