Making a dessert is time-consuming don't you think? but after it's made and  if you have a sweet tooth you are bowled out to both the virtual and real treat.  I am not a dessert person, I love pineapple pastry though, I go weak in my legs I have a special love for them and all milk based Indian sweets.  I don't like sweets which are too sweet and surprisingly this pannacotta is not too sweet, well of course you can make it sweet if you add more sugar but, panna cotta aren't too sweet but wickedly delicious.  Panna cotta is an Italian delicacy, panna cotta is an  Italian dessert made with thickened cream and moulded with gelatin, as I don't use gelatine I have subbed it with Agar Agar.  These days panna cotta can be made skinny, dairy free and whatever way you want to enjoy it!

It's that time of the year your palette changes from warm food and soups to something refreshing and cool, Fresh salads either with veggies or fruits or a combo of both and something thandi (cool) to drink.  Spring is slowly settling to Summer,  brings your senses to a galore of tastes tingling your taste buds craving for something fresh and juicy.

Strawberries and summer come hand in hand, you can see loads of strawberries in the market a punnet would cost you a pound, not all strawberries are sweet, talking to local people here I found out strawberries from Hertfordshire are very sweet, and when I find them in the market I never miss to buy them my daughter loves them, both us wander a lot she is a foodie friend to me.  Last time when we went to Gym we found these British strawberries I forgot from where it came, they weren't too sweet, we were a bit disappointed so we decided on munching some cherry tomatoes instead walking back home, Ahh.., I didn't  tell you did I? there is a little farmer's market we often go to whenever we go to Gym pick up some fresh fruits and veggies, Cherries are my favourite, I just can't stop eating with one  by the time we come back home I would finished the whole lot.

I first thought I will make some lemonade then decided otherwise as I had just made it a few days back.  I had put my grey cells to work, I remembered that I had to do a dessert this month for #cookingwithfriends theme and had already planned on making Mango pannacotta  which I changed to strawberry instead and made Mango milkshake (Seekarne).   As the strawberries weren't that sweet I thought of making  this with a combination and decided upon vanilla and some chia seeds  to go with it.

We never had strawberries as kids.  I can only think of Melons and Mangoes when summer set in, in our part of the world, we loved eating loads of watermelons and mangoes and sometimes eat Ice cream when there used to be a man who used to bring in his cart all these Lollipops and sometime Kulfi's,  mother never made them at home looking after three kids and her full-time job was enough for her to manage.  My parents never liked us buying Ice creams from him, and was a rare treat. I still remember my first Ice cream I made was when I was in year 11, for a first timer it was a great success and as eggs were a no-no at home I made it eggless as well.

Time changes so many things in life, never thought  I would be here eating strawberries instead of Mangoes!, how we change our food habits and adapt to what we get.  Mango milk shake to a pannacotta, that's what has changed when you are blogger best of all, with all the love in the world you prepare it.

STRAWBERRY-VANILLA CHIA SEED PANNA COTTA (GELATINE FREE / VEGETARIAN)

Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Recipe source: Jayasri
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes (20 min each)
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS: 
For Strawberry pannacotta:
500 grms Strawberries
(2 Cups pureed strawberries)
1/4 cup very warm water
2 tbsp Agar Agar powder*
1/2 cup Brown sugar

For Vanilla Chia seed Pannacotta
2 Cups milk
1/2 cup double cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract / slit and scrape vanilla pod
1 tbsp Chia seed
2 tbsp Agar Agar powder
1/4  cup very warm water
1/3 cup Suagr

METHOD:
Wash and cut Strawberries into a container puree them in a blender  with little water into a smooth puree, pour the pureed strawberries into a container and allow it to cook add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until all the sugar dissolved.

In a container add 2 cups of milk and sugar and boil it in a low flame for 10 minutes to this add chia seeds and cook for 5 minutes,  Meanwhile in a different bowl, boil water add tbsp of Agar powder until it completely dissolves, pour this mixture immediately into the milk mixture, add double cream, Vanilla extract or slit and scrape a vanilla pod  and blend them all together.  Leave it cool for 1/2 an hour, mix now and then, check its not thickening, as you don't want it solidifying, they just need to get cooled down now pour this into the serveware in which you want to serve, I slanted my glasses and put them in the fridge to set. May take 3 to 4 hours.

Once the vanilla panna cotta sets, you can start the strawberry panna cotta, you get two cups of pureed strawberries from 500 grms of strawberries into a container with sugar and cook them together until sugar is completely dissolved switch off the stove and keep aside, In an other bowl warm water and add Agar powder mix well with no lumps add this immediately into the pureed strawberry mixture blend well and leave it to cool, keep checking now and then that it doesn't set, you need it just to cool down, when its cooling down and ready to poured into the glasses to set bring your vanilla panna cotta glasses out of  the fridge.  Pour strawberry panna cotta into the gap until they both balance or the way you like to design it put them back into the fridge to set. May take 2 to 3 hrs
Once both of them are set you can serve them when needed.

NOTES:
Agar - Agar is a sea weed algae, it was discovered in Japan and it is called Kanten, It is called china grass in India, this is  vegetarian/vegan substitute for gelatin.  It even sets in room temperature and is better than gelatine even when temperature rises.  It does not have any taste, odour and smell.  You can find them in health food stores as powder, flakes, threads etc.  1 tbsp of agar powder dissolve it in a 4 tbsp hot water, 10 minutes it will start setting. For one cup of liquid to set use around 10 grms of Agar powder, I used 1 tbsp(8grms) as I wanted it to set it bit softer (wobbly), if  you want it set properly use 10 grms.
Increase or decrease sugar as per your taste.  My strawberries were a bit tart so had to use more sugar to balance it.

Do you like panna cotta, which is your favourite and tell me why it is your favourite?

Disclaimer:
Cooking With Friends: This blog post is part of the monthly “Cooking With Friends” themed blog post challenge. This challenge was started by a bunch of virtual friends united by their love of food, with the aim of tackling a different food-related theme each month. If you want to try this month’s theme, please feel free to do so and link your recipe in the comments section. We’d love to check it out. Meanwhile, check out what the others in the group have come up with this month.
Anjana from At the Corner of Happy and Harried, Garima from CafeGarima,  Jyothi from Curry Tail, Madhuri from MADaboutkitchen, Subhasmita from The Flavors of Kitchen, Sujatha from Spice n Treats, Dolphia from Story of cooks

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Strawberry-Vanilla Chia seed Panna Cotta (Gelatine free/Vegetarian)

An Italian delicacy made with thickened cream and chia seeds with Agar-Agar and delicious strawberries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Author Jayasri

Ingredients

• For Strawberry pannacotta:
• 500 grms Strawberries
• 2 Cups pureed strawberries
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• 2 tbsp Agar Agar powder*
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar
• For Vanilla Chia seed Pannacotta
• 2 Cups milk
• 1/2 cup double cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract / slit and scrape vanilla pod
• 1 tbsp Chia seed
• 2 tbsp Agar Agar powder
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• 1/3 cup Suagr

Instructions

• Wash and cut Strawberries into a container puree them in a blender with little water into a smooth puree, pour the pureed strawberries into a container and allow it to cook add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until all the sugar dissolved.
• In a container add 2 cups of milk and sugar and boil it in a low flame for 10 minutes to this add chia seeds and cook for 5 minutes, Meanwhile in a different bowl, boil water add tbsp of Agar powder until it completely dissolves, pour this mixture immediately into the milk mixture, add double cream, Vanilla extract or slit and scrape a vanilla pod and blend them all together. Leave it cool for 1/2 an hour, mix now and then, check its not thickening, as you don't want it solidifying, they just need to get cooled down now pour this into the serveware in which you want to serve, I slanted my glasses and put them in the fridge to set. May take 3 to 4 hours.
• Once the vanilla panna cotta sets, you can start the strawberry panna cotta, you get two cups of pureed strawberries from 500 grms of strawberries into a container with sugar and cook them together until sugar is completely dissolved switch off the stove and keep aside, In an other bowl warm water and add Agar powder mix well with no lumps add this immediately into the pureed strawberry mixture blend well and leave it to cool, keep checking now and then that it doesn't set, you need it just to cool down, when its cooling down and ready to poured into the glasses to set bring your vanilla panna cotta glasses out of the fridge. Pour strawberry panna cotta into the gap until they both balance or the way you like to design it put them back into the fridge to set. May take 2 to 3 hrs
• Once both of them are set you can serve them when needed.

Notes

Agar - Agar is a sea weed algae, it was discovered in Japan and it is called Kanten, It is called china grass in India, this is vegetarian/vegan substitute for gelatin. It even sets in room temperature and is better than gelatine even when temperature rises. It does not have any taste, odour and smell. You can find them in health food stores as powder, flakes, threads etc. 1 tbsp of agar powder dissolve it in a 4 tbsp hot water, 10 minutes it will start setting. For one cup of liquid to set use around 10 grms of Agar powder, I used 1 tbsp(8grms) as I wanted it to set it bit softer (wobbly), if you want it set properly use 10 grms.
Increase or decrease sugar as per your taste. My strawberries were a bit tart so had to use more sugar to balance it.

The post Strawberry-Vanilla Chia seed Panna Cotta (Gelatin free/ Vegetarian) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

GREEN TEA MOUSSE

140 gms  Whipping cream
70 gms white chocolate
1 tbsp Green Tea Leaves
1 tbsp Dolce de Leche
1 tsp Agar powder
2 tbsp of warm water

CREAM-LESS STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
140 grms Strawberry Puree
140 grms Sugar
1 tsp Agar
3 tbsp Warm water

Whipping cream as required
Pistachio Nuts as required

METHOD
TO MAKE GREEN TEA MOUSSE
In a thick bowl heat cream and tea Leaves until boiling set aside for 30 minutes, strain the tea leaves from cream then whip to soft peak melt chocolate and mix into tea infused cream and set aside.

TO MAKE CREAM-LESS STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
Soak Agar powder in  warm water beat keep it aside for few minutes then beat again , Puree strawberry and sugar together heat them in a bowl, add this to the puree and boil for few minutes keep it aside.

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks are formed. chop pistachios and keep aside.

ASSEMBLE

In a glass bowl or any thing you wish to arrange, layer whipping cream, add chopped pistachios, then layer them with Strawberry mousse then layer it with Green tea Mousse then layer it with Whipping cream and pistachios again then top it with Green tea mousse and top it with pistachios again, leave it in the refrigerate an hour or two and serve it cold.
Recipe source from these two blogs with minimal changes from here and matchachocolate.com
It was very sweet said my kids, hope you like it...

The post Eggless Green Tea mousse with Pistachio and Strawberry Verrines appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi, everybody it is SRC time again, I am sorry for not linking my blog right on time, My laptop, froze and as I had not scheduled my post to go on time just because , I was planning to publish as I was at home. well, I am really sorry about this but, definitely here is my post.  I would never miss SRC as I love this secret club, It makes me delighted and going through the blogs I get assigned to every month, I get the whole month browsing every recipe and wonder which one should I choose.
Suzanne my hostess assigned me to Judie's blog - Gluten Free with Judie, An to  A-Z   gluten free blog, there is not a second thought to it. You want to know anything and everything about Gluten Free and lot more things she has it right their in her blog, I have bookmarked so many pages to study about lot of things, I had not decided what to try out from her blog, and decided at the last minute that's yesterday!!.  I had invited my friends, she is pregnant and would be leaving to India soon and made this little dessert - Panna Cotta to her with a whole some menu of Indian food and made International Italian dessert !!Only with  less sugar, as she doesn't like anything sweet. I have increased the amount of sugar when writing it here with a 1/4 cup more so do need to check out before you like to increase the sweetness in it.
Coming to the recipe, I made it vegan, and made a Orange syrup to go with it, which was perfectly delicious, Chocolate and Orange is a fantastic combo.
Thanks Judie for this wonderful recipe.., everybody at home enjoyed it..., Here is how the recipe goes...

VEGAN CHOCOLATE AND COCONUT PANNA COTTA WITH ORANGE SAUCE

Recipe Source: Judie's Blog with Changes

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 6 Ramekins

2 cups of Fresh thick Coconut milk ( you can even used coconut cream )
1 cup Soya milk
3 tsp Agar - Agar Powder
2 tbsp Warm water
3 tbsp Coco powder
1 tsp pure Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 cup Fair trade Palm sugar / brown sugar

Recipe Source: Original

ORANGE SYRUP
1/2 Cup Orange juice
1/4 Cup Sugar
A Pinch of Orange colour

METHOD:
Soak Agar - Agar powder in the warm water from few minutes, Meanwhile In a bowl take coconut milk and soya milk and heat them whisking continuously with sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon powder and dissolved coco powder.
Add soaked Agar - agar powder into the bowl and keep stirring for few more minutes and boil in a medium flame and immediately put them in individual Ramekins.
Once it comes to the room temperature place them in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours to set.

To Make Orange Syrup: 
Meanwhile make your Orange Syrup, In  a bowl add all the Ingredients under Orange syrup and simmer it in a very low flame for 15 to 20 minutes in becomes slightly thick and your syrup is ready it has a tangy Orangey taste to it.  Once done keep it covered until needed.

After 2 to 3 hours place the Ramekins in a hot water for few seconds and with a sharp knife or fork turn it around the inside of the ramekins just to release them from the ramekins then tilt it over on to a plate, Place few Oranges I placed clementine slices and poured the orange syrup over them and served them..

My kids felt it was good but not too good as it was not very sweet as they have a horrible sweet tooth, and when ever I use brown sugar it doesn't give you much sweet so you need to increase the quantity of it, that's the  way they  like it!!, so you can increase the sugar level if you have a very sweet tooth.
It turned out really well and came out clean without any trouble at all..
Do please check out her blog for the original recipe, she uses gelatine, as being a vegetarian I did not want to use gelatine, Agar- Agar acts just like gelatine and can be used instead of it in any recipe which calls for gelatine, you can find these in any Asian or may be health wise shops.
Agar - Agar is made from a sea weed and is a best substitute for gelatine and suitable for vegan and vegetarian recipes..

Check out all my other SRC members below who have created so many recipes..some of them you might want to book Mark!!
Sending this to Ayesha's cook eat delicious desserts - milk started by Raven
and to Vardhini's Kitchen Chronicles - only Vegan event started by Kalyani

Update:  I won a cookbook from Raven for this Dessert Yay!!, 

The post Vegan Chocolate & Coconut Panna Cotta with Orange Sauce appeared first on My Veg Fare.