Halloween

BRAIN SHAPED VANILLA PANNACOTTA in RASPBERRIES COULIS.

| Italian Goodness

HOW TO HORRIFY AND DELIGHT YOUR HALLOWEEN GUESTS IN ONE SHOT

Brain shaped vanilla panna cotta with raspberries coulis

This brain shaped pannacotta in raspberries coulis is exactly the dessert you were looking for to horrify and delight your guests during Halloween season. I don’t think this dessert needs many explanations regarding the sense of its shape (LOL), what is for sure is that besides the appearance, this absolutely delicious vanilla pannacotta served with raspberries coulis would please even the pickiest palates. After all there is a reason if panna cotta is a very popular traditional Italian dessert, and has been prepared in so many variations, with coffee, caramel or fruits. In this case, the sweet and dense consistency of the panna cotta is perfectly balanced by the acidity of the raspberries, creating an irresistible combo of flavors.

This brain shaped vanilla pannacotta in raspberries coulis is perfect because it is really easy and fast to prepare, especially in this version where I substituted the classic gelatin sheets (which may be intimidating to use) with the more common and easy to use gelatine powder.

Few minutes to fill up the “brain shaped pan”, straight in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, and ready to be enjoyed as needed. Can be prepared ahead of time and decorated right before serving it. If refrigerated lasts for few days.

What are you waiting for? Provide yourself the right mold and try this super fun Halloween Dessert.

INGREDIENTS FOR BRAINED SHAPED VANILLA PANNA COTTA

1 and 1/4 cup (275 gr.) sugar

3 cups (750 gr.) heavy whipping cream

1 pack gelatin powder dissolved in 1/3 cup water

1 tbs. vanilla extract

1/4 cup hot milk to dissolve the gelatine

INGREDIENTS FOR THE RASPBERRY COULIS

5 oz. (150 gr.) Raspberries

1 oz. (30 gr.) granulated sugar (or powder sugar)

the juice of half a lemon

DIRECTION FOR BRAIN SHAPED VANILLA PANNA COTTA

Dissolve the gelatin powder in 1/3 cup water. Set aside. Heat the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until it gets to boiling point. Switch off the heat.

Heat the heavy whipping cream , sugar and vanilla extract and get the brain mold ready

Reheat the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds, and pour it over the gelatine to dissolve it. Mix the dissolved gelatine into the whipping cream and stir for about a minute. Pour the mix in a brain shaped container. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

Dissolve the gelatine in hot milk, pour it into the cream and stir for a minute. Pour in the brain mold.

DIRECTION FOR RASBERRIES COULIS

Wash and dry the raspberries. Place in a non stick pan at medium heat with sugar and lemon juice. Stir and let cook for a few minutes until all the fruits look mushed. Strain to get rid of all the seeds.

Prepare the raspberries coulis by cook the raspberries with sugar in a non stick pan until the fruits get mushy. Strain to get rid of the seeds.

ASSEMBLE YOUR BRAIN SHAPED VANILLA PANNA COTTA WITH RASBERRIES COULIS

Flip the panna cotta in a serving dish. For a better result, if possible, use a black one.

With a spoon pour the raspberries coulis on the brain pannacotta so to resemble a real brain.

Serve and enjoy! It looks so authentic that don’t take any offence if someone would refuse to eat it !

LEARNT IT, MADE IT, LOVED IT!

TIPS

  • Just out of curiosity, a coulis consists in any kind of fruit sauce made with any fruits and sugar, that have typically been puréed and strained to create a thick sauce-like consistency. The coulis made out of raspberries tends to have most of a liquid consistency and the color resembles incredibly the color of blood.
  • To be honest with you this panna cotta could have turned out even better. Since the brain mold I used was made of plastic and not silicon, to make sure the panna cotta would flip correctly I dared leaving the container for a minute in some hot water. This trick is used often to flip panna cotta to avoid any breaks or imperfections but apparently in such complicated pattern it only made the panna cotta melting on the surface and loosing some of its design… peace, I think it turned out acceptable even if not perfect.
  • This vanilla panna cotta is quite sweet, and if you prefer instead a bittersweet aftertaste, try to use instead my buttermilk panna cotta recipe.
  • If you are looking for an Halloween baking project that would involve your children, you should definitely prepare with them these easy and fun “Witch fingers“.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog even this week!

I would love to know if you liked this brain shaped vanilla panna cotta with rasberries coulis!

Spooky, isn’t it?

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