Banana milk panna cotta

I’m not going to kid you, developing recipes and taking pictures of food is a pretty fun way to make a living. But sometimes it’s even more fun than usual. Like when the folks from Clover and the Expresso morning show recently asked me to rustle something up using Clover Super M banana milk. I used to adore flavoured milk as a kid – the banana and soda cream flavours especially my personal top of the pops.

So I thought why not use a seriously fun essentially kiddie ingredient in a pud that’s quite adult? Here you have it – tropical banana milk panna cotta. I guarantee kids will adore it just as is, but the addition of granadilla and toasted coconut makes it more sophisticated, turning it into something adults will like too. This recipe is so simple my cat could make it, so get your kids enthused about cooking and let them rustle this up for the family.

All you need is…

4 sheets leaf gelatin (available at Woolworths)
250ml fresh cream
4 tbs castor sugar
350ml banana milk
granadilla and toasted coconut shards, to garnish

Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes. In the meantime gently heat the cream and castor sugar until warm. (Take care not to boil it.) Squeeze the excess water out of the gelatin and drop the sheets into the warm cream one by one, stirring after you add each one. Once all of the gelatin has dissolved, add the cold banana milk to the cream and stir through.

Pour the liquid into metal ramekins. (Tip: It’s easier to not make a mess if you first pour it into a jug.) Refrigerate for 3 hours until set. To de-mould the panna cotta, dip the ramekins into hot water for just a second or two. Place a small flat plate on top of each ramekin and turn it over. The panna cotta will easily slip out of the metal ramekins. Garnish with fresh granadilla and top with toasted coconut shards. (Note: if you do not have panna cotta moulds, simply pour the panna cotta mix into lovely small glasses to set and serve them in the glasses.)