Panna Cotta with Rose Syrup

From Jo Pratt’s In the Mood for Food, romantic section. Here one has syrup over it and one only under it, not sure which I prefer.

I didn’t make this for any romantic occasion, so doubled it up to make 4 gorgeous hearts. They are a basic panna cotta mix but made with half single cream and half natural yoghurt, vanilla, icing sugar and leaf gelatine (or lumpy, but I like the leaf better). Jo presents it in the book for after an Indian curry with spicy bits and pieces, and it would be lovely for after that. The natural yoghurt is quite noticeable and would be a real palate cleanser.

Then there is the wonderful pink rose syrup, which is made according to the recipe in the book. She says you can buy it, but home made is better. Well, I’ve never seen it to buy so making it was the only option, and I was so relieved for the recipe for the simple sugar syrup with a little rose water and food colouring. I think the syrup would be good with ice cream too.

In the book the pudding is pictured with a sprinkling of rose petals and some slivered pistachios. The rose petals would be a no-go at this time of year, but I have apparently run out of pistachios! There was a bag on the shelf that I thought were new nuts, but it turned out to be poppy seeds, which wouldn’t have done here at all!

I’m going to give this one a go again next time we have a curry, where it would really shine.