Method
Serves 6
Put all ingredients, except gelatin, in a pot and bring to the
boil, whisking until the chocolate and cocoa powder are completely
dissolved in the mixture (there should be no specks of chocolate
left, it should all be one smooth brown colour).
Add the soaked gelatin and whisk together until gelatin is
completely dissolved. Strain mixture through a sieve and leave to
cool in the fridge for 20 minutes - a skin will form on the
surface. Skim off the skin that has formed (and either eat it or
discard it!).
Pour mixture into 6 glass tumblers, martini glasses, ramekins or
moulds and refrigerate until set (at least 3 hours). Serve in
glasses, topped with a scoop of sorbet, or briefly dip in hot water
to loosen the panna cotta and tip out onto a plate and accompany
with the sorbet.
To be even more impressive, make a chocolate balsamic paint and
chocolate malt crumb (below). Using a pastry brush, paint a streak
of chocolate paint across a plate, then place
1tbsp of crumb to the
side, top with a scoop of sorbet and unmold panna cotta onto
the
plates.
Plum Sorbet
Serves 4-6
Place 4-6 glasses in the freezer to chill. Halve plums, remove
stones and lay in a single layer on a tray lined with baking paper.
Place in freezer until very hard (at least 8 hours). Blitz frozen
plums until very finely chopped. Add 3-4tbsp of the reserved juice
and blitz until smooth.
Serve immediately in the chilled glasses, or return to freezer
before serving.
Chocolate Malt Crumb
Make a chocolate malt crumb by blitzing the squares of chocolate
into a rough crumb, then add malt biscuits and blitz again to a
crumb.
Chocolate Balsamic Paint
Make a chocolate balsamic paint by melting 5 squares of
chocolate with 1tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1tspn butter in a cup or
ramekin in the microwave. Mix together well and use
immediately.