Country Kitchen Cookery

Crema Cotta/Panna Cotta

In a search for new or different milk recipes to try.  I ran across Crema Cotta also known as Panna Cotta . An Italian dessert thats name translates to cooked cream.  It is similiar to a custard, though eggless. The basic recipe is to simmer cream, milk and sugar together, add gelatin then pour into molds and let cool.

Basic Recipe:
1 pint heavy cream
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Heat, stirring constantly, until nearly ready to boil, then remove from heat.

Soften 1 pkg. unflavored gelatin in 3 1/2 tbsp. cold water for 3 minutes, then add to the hot milk, stir until completely dissolved & well mixed. Pour into custard cups or or a serving dish. Allow to chill at least 2 hours.

I bought cream from the grocer the first few times I made it. It was a sweet, creamy, smooth custard type dessert. We enjoyed it. It is also very easy and quick to make. One evening I had a request for the Crema Cotta for dessert, though had no cream.  Had plenty of goat milk.  So I decided to skip the heavy cream, whole milk and water using only goat milk to make the dessert.  Well, let me tell you, it was just as good as when using the cream.  Of course I could tell there was a difference, but not to the point that it mattered that much (keeping in mind the calories, fat, carbs and cholesterol in the heavy cream).

I tweaked the recipe and changed it to:
2 2/3 cup goat milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla 
Heat, stirring constantly, until nearly ready to boil, then remove from heat.
Soften 1 pkg. unflavored gelatin in 3 1/2 tbsp. goat milk for 3 minutes, then add to the hot milk and stir until completely dissolved & well mixed. Pour into custard cups or or a serving dish. Allow to chill at least 2 hours.

Try it, you might find you like it.

You can change up the flavor, strawberry Jell-O & strawberry Kool-Aid, lime, cherry, etc.

Gingerbread

This is a 1948 gingerbread recipe handed down thru my family.  It is found in the Brer Rabbit's New Orleans Molasses Recipes booklet copyright 1948 Penick & Ford, Ltd. Inc. (I inherited from my grandmother.)

My Best Gingerbread

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Brer Rabbit Molasses
1 cup hot water

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add egg; beat well. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Combine molasses and water; add alternately with flour mixture to creamed mixture. Line 8" x 8" x 2" greased pan with greased waxed paper; pour in batter. Bake in moderate oven, 350º F., 50 - 60 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

It is very good, especially with topped with whipped cream.

Lemon Curd - Good Eats~ Alton Brown Recipe (Simply scrumptious if you like lemon!)
5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced
1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled
Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.
Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup.
Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk till smooth.
Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.