Happy 4th of July Weekend!

I have three delicious dessert recipes for your weekend plans!!!

Can I say that panna cotta is by far one of my favorite Italian desserts ever?! I finally found a way to make this dessert that is gelatin-free.

Panna cotta is light and creamy and adding a lovely berry coulis sauce over the top really makes this dessert stand out.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta (Gelatin Free

Ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cups Heavy cream
• 5 egg whites
• 1/3 cup organic sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, reserve seeds

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, add the cream, sugar, and vanilla over medium heat. Let the mixture come to a simmer, and then remove from heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
3. In a medium bowl, break the egg whites, but make sure you do not create bubbles. This is very important so that your custard will be free of bubbles or cracks.
4. Add the egg whites to the cream mixture, making sure to whisk to combine.
5. Place 6 ramekins in a deep glass baking dish. Pour the cream mixture into buttered ramekins.
6. Pour boiling water in the glass baking dish, surrounding the ramekins. Make sure the water hits about 3/4 to the ramekins. (Be sure not to get water inside the ramekins.)
7. Bake at 275 degrees for about 2 hours, or until the panna cotta is set.
8. The panna cotta will resemble creme brulee, in a way. Remove from oven, and let the ramekins come to room temperature before you chill.
9. Chill panna cotta for 24 hours. Make sure you place plastic wrap over the top of each ramekin.
10. When ready to serve, remove panna cotta from ramekins. (You can take a thin knife, and go around the edge of the ramekin, and then turn the panna cotta onto a plate.)

**Serve with fresh berry coulis. (My favorite is a mixture of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.)  I included a link to my own blackberry coulis recipe. GET IT HERE. 

I Scream For Ice Cream!! 

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Affogato

This is the time to enjoy delicious ice cream. How about scratch-made vanilla bean ice cream? Am I talking about your language yet? Or how about ice cream and espresso all in one? Oh yes, affogato it is. Enjoy how to make ice cream and delicious affogato here.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 2/3 cup organic sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, reserve the seeds
• 6 egg yolks

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, add the cream, half and half, organic sugar, and vanilla seeds over medium heat.
2. Bring mixture to a slight boil, and once it hits the boiling stage remove from heat.
3. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl, and make sure you whisk until they become light and pale in color.
4. Pour cream into the egg mixture, and then add the mixture back to the saucepan over low heat. Only cook until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
5. In a large bowl, fill with water and ice. (Ice bath)
6. The bowl of ice cream base should be placed in the ice bath so that the temperature cools down before you add it to the ice cream maker. Chill cream for about 5 hours, and then place into ice cream maker. (Follow ice cream maker directions.)

What do you get when you cross ice cream & Nespresso together?? AFFOGATO

Affogato Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream (recipe above)
• 1 shot of espresso
• Optional- Drizzled dark chocolate sauce

Method:

1. Place ice cream into a coffee cup.
2. Pour 1 shot of espresso over the top and serve with dark chocolate sauce. (If you don’t have espresso, feel free to use strong coffee.)

Happy weekend foodies!!! Have a beautiful 4th of July weekend and stay safe.