Pink Peppercorn-Pomegranate Panna Cotta
Why this recipe works: We use pink peppercorns in a number of savory applications, but these peppercorns (not true pepper) are by far the fruitiest and most floral of the varieties, so they take well to dessert. The clean dairy flavor of creamy panna cotta was a lovely canvas for the subtle pungency of pink pepper, which we used to infuse our cream base. To balance the spiciness and richness, we incorporated pomegranate juice into the base, which provided not only complementary fruitiness but also smashing color. A garnish of pomegranate seeds and shaved white chocolate was a rich adornment, while a touch of coarse finishing salt brought all the flavors to life. To serve unmolded, you’ll need six 4- to 5-ounce ramekins. Panna cotta may also be chilled and served in wine glasses. If you’d like to make the panna cotta a day ahead, reduce the amount of gelatin by 1/2 teaspoon and chill the filled ramekins for at least 18 hours or up to 24 hours. You can use your preferred coarse finishing salt in this recipe.Serves 6
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons pink peppercorns, cracked
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- Shaved white chocolate
- Coarse finishing salt
