Breakfast Delight...Panna Cotta at Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast!

It's a busy time here at Fort Hill...the summer has been glorious and the beaches at their best! This morning we had home-made vanilla bean panna cotta and fresh fruit topped in a berry compote as a first course. it was a big hit! Here is a before and after picture as well as an easy recipe I picked up while we were in Italy last fall. I double the recipe for the B+B gang.

Fort Hill Panna Cotta

Serves 4-5

1/2 cup half-and-half
1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup plus 2 Tb. Sugar
2” piece vanilla bean, split
grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 small orange, optional

Butter five 1/2-cup ramekins.
Pour gelatin on half-and-half. Stir to dissolve.
In medium-heavy saucepan, mix cream, sugar, vanilla bean and gelatin mixture.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to boil. (Don’t boil over pan!)
Cook until the mixture begins to thicken slightly, then remove the pan from heat and discard the bean.
Stir in lemon zest if desired.
Pour into ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set (5 hours) or overnight.

To un-mold: run a knife around the sides of the ramekin. Place a serving plate on top and invert the mold on the plate. Or dip each mold quickly in hot water and then invert.
Serve with fresh fruit, shaved chocolate or make a caramel sauce.