Sage-Infused Panna Cotta With Poached Pears & Walnuts

 

Sage-Infused Panna Cotta 

With Poached Pears & Walnuts

Infusing warm cream with sage off the heat imparts a light herbal flavour. It’s a wonderful contrast to the spiced poached pears and toasty walnuts. The leftover poaching liquid can be used to poach more fruit or reduced to a syrup for pancakes. To toast walnuts, bake on a baking sheet at 350°F (177°C) for 7 to 8 minutes.

Ingredients:

Poached Pears:
2 Bosc pears, peeled, quartered and cored
2 cups (500 mL) water
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 mL) honey
1 pod star anise
4 black peppercorns
1 slice fresh ginger, about 1 oz (30 g)
Pinch salt
 
Panna Cotta
1/4 cup (60 mL) cold water
2 1/4 tsp (12 mL) powdered gelatin
1 3/4 cups (425 mL) whipping cream
2/3 cup (150 mL) sour cream
1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1/2 cup (125 mL) whole sage leaves, about 15
1/2 cup (125 mL) walnut halves, toasted and chopped roughly

Directions:                                                                                                     To make poached pears, combine ingredients in medium-size pot. Cook at a bare simmer until pears are soft but not mushy (a paring knife will meet with little resistance), 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool in liquid. Transfer to an airtight container with liquid and refrigerate up to 1 week.

To make panna cotta, place cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle powdered gelatin over in a single layer. Set aside.
 
Whisk cream, sour cream, sugar and vanilla pod and seeds in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. When mixture comes to a simmer and sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and add sage. Let stand 20 minutes. Remove vanilla pod and sage leaves with a slotted spoon and discard. Return to medium heat. When it comes to a simmer, remove from heat and whisk in gelatin mixture until dissolved.
 
Divide mixture between four 6-oz (170-mL) ramekins. Refrigerate, uncovered, until custard is completely set, 3 to 4 hours. When set, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days.
 
Run a small knife around inside of ramekins and turn out each panna cotta into its own bowl to serve. Serve with two slices of poached pear and a few toasted walnuts on top. Spoon a little pear poaching liquid over each dessert to finish.   Serves 4