Vanilla and dark chocolate panna cotta with salted hazelnut chikki

Serves Desserts and puddings

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Method

You will need 4 x 165ml dariole moulds or similar and a baking paper-lined tray for the chikki.

For the vanilla layer, soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes, until softened. Pour the double cream and milk into a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Add the sugar and vanilla seeds and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.

Remove the gelatine from its soaking water and squeeze to remove any excess water. Add to the cream and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool slightly and then divide among the moulds. Leave until fully set.

Soak the gelatine leaves for the chocolate layer in cold water. Heat the cream, milk and sugar together until the mixture is boiling and the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the chocolate until the mixture is smooth.

Remove the gelatine from the water and squeeze to remove any excess water, then add to the chocolate mix and stir until dissolved. Leave the mixture to cool. Once the vanilla layer has completely set and the chocolate mixture has cooled, fill up the remainder of the moulds with the chocolate mix and leave until set.

To make the chikki, put the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan and heat until the sugar has melted. Continue cooking until the sugar turns a dark amber colour. Quickly remove from the heat and stir in the butter, nuts and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Once the butter has been completely incorporated, spoon the mixture onto the baking tray and spread out into an even layer the thickness of a £1 coin. Leave to cool and set.

To serve, cut circles out of the chikki to match the base measurement of your panna cotta moulds and set each on a pretty plate. Turn the panna cottas out onto the chikki and decorate with chocolate shards.