The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.
This was the perfect challenge for February! I made Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta hearts with Strawberry Coulis and Florentine Heart Cookies for Valentine’s Day. Strawberry coulis is a fancy name for a strawberry sauce that has been strained so it doesn’t have any seeds. Panna Cotta is a smooth, creamy, sensual dessert that is an ideal end to a romantic meal.
I followed the given recipes except I substituted agave nectar for the honey and added a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste in the Panna Cotta. Like many others, my cookies spread too much so I added a bit more flour and staggered them on the cookie sheet baking only 8 on a sheet. After they were baked my husband cut them out with a metal cookie cutter.
We’d never had Florentines before and we loved this light, crispy, sweet cookie. We couldn’t stop eating the bits that were cut off. The leftover bits would be a fabulous topping for a sundae.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (one packet) (15 ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) unflavored powdered gelatin
- 3 cups (720 ml) whipping cream (30+% butterfat)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) honey (I used agave)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
Directions
- Pour the milk into a bowl or pot and sprinkle gelatin evenly and thinly over the milk (make sure the bowl/pot is cold by placing the bowl/pot in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you start making the Panna Cotta). Let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.
- Pour the milk into the saucepan/pot and place over medium heat on the stove. Heat this mixture until it is hot, but not boiling, about five minutes. (I whisk it a few times at this stage).
- Next, add the cream, honey, sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt. Making sure the mixture doesn't boil, continue to heat and stir occasionally until the sugar and honey have dissolved 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, allow it to sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then pour into the glass or ramekin.
- Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Add garnishes and serve.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) (150 gm) (5.3 oz) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (480 ml) (160 gm) (5 2/3 oz) quick oats
- 1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) (95 gm) (3? oz) plain (all purpose) flour ( I used 1 cup)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dark corn syrup
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1½ cups (360 ml) (250 gm) (9 oz) dark or milk chocolate
Directions
- Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F (190°C) (gas mark 5). Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.
- To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Drop a tablespoon full, three inches (75 mm) apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula.
- Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets.
- While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (in a double boiler, or a bowl that fits atop a saucepan filled with a bit of water, being sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl).
- Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper (to keep counters clean).
- Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom/flat side of your cookie, sandwiching another (flat end) cookie atop the chocolate.
- This recipe will make about 2 1/2 - 3 dozen sandwiched Florentine cookies. You can also choose not to sandwich yours, in which case, drizzle the tops with chocolate (over your wax paper).
Ingredients
Strawberry Coulis
- 3 cups strawberries, diced
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons water
- In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling and the sugar has been dissolved, turn off the heat.
- Purée until smooth with an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Strain through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
- Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze to use at a later date.
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling and the sugar has been dissolved, turn off the heat.
- Purée until smooth with an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Strain through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
- Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze to use at a later date.
Thanks Mallory for a fabulous challenge! Please visit the Daring Kitchen to see a slideshow of the fabulous desserts the Daring Bakers created for this challenge and additional tips and recipes.
Some of the links in my posts may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting Barbara Bakes when you shop!
I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
The heart shaped florentine and heart shaped panna cotta are so cute – and the white and red is visually beautiful.
Beautiful! You did a great job. Your panna cotta and cookies look perfect.
Cheers,
Rosa
Sensational!
Don’t know if I can dare… try these..lovlies
Wonderful work and a beautiful blog.
Ah, I knew I should have checked the forums, I thought I was the only one with spreading cookies! And of course, I had decided to tweak the first batch I made by using brown sugar instead, which contributed to major spread. Cutting the cookies out with a cookie cutter at the end is such a brilliant idea, they look beautiful. Well done on the challenge Barbara
I could celebrate Valentine’s Day all over again with these coeurs de crème. I will definitely bookmark this for next year. Super cute and delicious too I’m sure. Love the coulis on the plate!
Beautiful dessert. Serving everything in heart shapes is perfect for this time of year and your colour choice with the fruit is stunning.
Beautiful panna cotta, Barbara. The strawberry coulis is the perfect touch, both with flavor and color.
So cute. I love the contrast of the white Panna Cotta with the vibrant red of the coulis. And the heart shaped Florentines are adorable. I wish my Florentines had spread more to be thinner. They ended up like cookies, however, they were addictive.
Barbara, your food always looks so yummy! Something like this would be way out of my comfort zone–I guess that’s why we join baking groups! Maybe I will try it. Have a great day.
Barbara, This is beautiful!!!! I love the little tiny florentine hears. I make a similar recipe but never thought to cut them out. I have never made panna cotta. I think I must try.
B… I saw this photo on the DB site and been waiting for the day so I can tell you
))
how stunning it is!!! Just LOVE the flavors and the presentation.. soooo cute!
I am curious about the agave nectar. I have been hearing a lot about it recently. how is the taste?
Wow – these look positively beautiful and delicious!
Florentines are quite delicious. I just wish I wasn’t lactose intolerant or I’d try the Panna Cotta.
these are so gorgeous well done for florentine perfect one.
Beautiful photos and a beautiful dessert, Barbara! Nice job on the challenge!
Your photos are so beautiful. I love the heart shape of the panna cotta and florentine cookies! The strawberry coulis sounds so good.
oh my goodness, i don’t think you could have made that any prettier! such a lovely and delicious dessert!
Gorgeous presentation, I would have a hard time eating it, its way tooo pretty!
Very nicely done!
That’s gorgeous Barbara! Really pretty and perfect for Valentine’s. Love the red jus under the panna cotta too.
Aww I love the ruffled heart molds mum! You did a beautiful job!
xxx
You did awesome with this one Barbara. This looks amazing!
Wow! Great job! I love how you turned both the panna cotta and cookies into hearts!! They are too cute! They look beautifully perfect!
Yum! I’ve only recently started eating panna cotta but now I love it. I can’t wait to give it a go myself.
Your panna cotta and florentines are absolutely beautiful, and so perfect for February! As always, you did a fantastically wonderful job. I always love seeing what you come up with.
I am so making this next year for my sweetie!
It looks just perfect for Valentine’s Day….
Beautiful dessert. I love the strawberry coulis!
I am in lovee with ur ruffled heart molds , i have recently received, very similiar ones in pink and red but i think urs are cuter!
I lovee heart desserts too and the vanilla bean paste adds the gourmet look and flavor to the panna cotta.
The red and white are stunning and the whole post saying ….come fall in love!
They look perfect, Barbara! Yum!
I had panna cotta for the first time this ever this month. I will have to try making it at home. Lovely photos.
So pretty and such a nice styling job!
great job – i love how pretty your pictures and plating are.
That looks great. I am loving the strawberry sauce.
So very beautiful! The colors just drew me in… Fun post!
Your heart shaped panna cotta with strawberry coulis looks gorgeous! And those florentine cookies are so pretty! Great job on this challenge!
Just love the look of your presentation! So lovey dovey. It is wonderful to have cut out the florentines into a heart shape, such pretty turnout
As always Barbara, I am in awe. This looks so great!
Panna Cotta is one of my fave’s Barbara, I love these little heart shapes too., looks really romantic & sweet
Wow Barbara, a masterpiece, totally delicious looking!
Barbara, you old romantic! Stunning! And your sweets just get better and better. Fabulous panna cotta and the prettiest florentine!
Barbara, the vanilla panna cotta and the florentine are just perfect, and I love it with strawberry. So nicely pressented
Beautiful as always, Barbara.
Delicious and beautiful! I really need to start doing Daring Bakers again. I used to love doing it and then I got really busy. I need to challenge myself again
What a lovely dessert. It looks perfect for Valentine’s Day
Your panna cotta and florentines look so pretty. The hearts are perfect and your coulis is such a vibrant red. Love it!
Barb, you did a great job on the challenge! I love the hearts. I have made a vanilla bean panna cotta so I know how delicious this was. But I haven’t made those cookies.
Nice work on the challange – love what you did. I decided to do the chocolate version!
Stunning, Barbara! It’s like Valentine’s Day all over again, which is ironic, since I dubbed my panna cotta entry my official Valentine’s day post since I missed it this year on my blog lol
Having said that, your heart shaped panna cottas are gorgeous, so reminiscent of coeur a la cremes, and your florentines are perfect! Beautifully done as always
What a beautiful photo! You made my mouth water, just thinking about eating those leftover bits!
Absolutely stunning Barbara. Love the shape and the coulis!
I’ve so enjoyed seeing on the variations on this month’s Daring Bakers’ challenge, and your version looks so very special and delicious, Barbara. Strawberry season is on here in Florida, and your recipe would be the perfect dessert treat for us right now.