Rhubarb and jelly panna cotta

Makes 4-6 x 250-300ml glasses Desserts and puddings

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Method

Place the rhubarb in a stainless steel pan with 125ml cold water and the sugar, cover and cook over a low-medium heat for about 5 minutes until soft. drain the rhubarb through a nylon sieve set over a measuring jug. You need to collect about 400ml of juice. Keep around 300ml of rhubarb pieces for the bottom layer (use a measuring jug). Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 minutes until soft. Heat about 4tbsp of the juice in a small pan, squeeze out the gelatine and add, remove from the heat and let it dissolve to a clear liquid. Mix into the rest of the rhubarb juice. take about 2tbsp of this gelatine juice and fold into the 300ml rhubarb pieces. divide the pieces between the glasses without flattening down too much and put in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up. It won’t be a hard set.

Meanwhile, make the panna cotta so it cools a little before use. Place the double cream in a pan over a low heat for around 15 minutes until bubbles just appear around the edge. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t boil up and over the pan. remove and stir in the chopped chocolate until fully melted. Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 minutes until soft and add to the pan of cream and chocolate. Stir to dissolve completely. Pour through a sieve set over a jug and fill the glasses equally. Put to set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

While the panna cotta is setting prepare for the jelly layer which will have almost set, so stand it in a dish of hot water and stir to melt – but you don’t want it to be warm. When the panna cotta has set, gently spoon the jelly layer into all the glasses to an even depth. Put in the fridge for at least 1½ hours or overnight to set completely.