Mid-Week Dessert

It wasn't exactly Monday yet, so no IWAD, but on 6/14/10 I decided to make another dessert out of my "Italian at Home" cookbook. It sounded yummy and the picture in the cookbook looks delicious! Well, I wouldn't say it's anything to rave about. It was pretty easy to make, but it didn't quite taste like I hoped for. Maybe it's because I was expecting something different. Who knows. It kind of tasted like blackberry yogurt...not disgusting, but just not like a dessert.

One problem I had making this was measuring the blackberries. I bought 2 bags of frozen blackberries because, of course, the bags don't tell you how many cups are in them. I measured out one bag, and hey, 3 cups exactly. Once I began re-measuring, as I tend to do, and pouring the cups into my food processor to puree them it was only 1 1/2 cups of berries with tons of juice left in the bowl. Well, then I took out the other bag of blackberries and defrosted them in the microwave this time, because I was impatient, and it took nearly 2 bags of frozen blackberries to make 3 cups of thawed blackberries. Not sure if I was supposed to measure them pre-thawed or thawed, but whatever! The other problem I had was when I went to the grocery store and was looking at the whipping cream. Was I supposed to get heavy whipping cream or just whipping cream? Who knows?! I went with regular whipping cream. And then, the last thing you're supposed to do in this recipe is to unmold onto serving plates. Well, good luck with that! We wound up eating ours out of the ramekins.

"Blackberry Panna Cotta"

• 3 cups frozen unsweetened blackberries, thawed
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin

1. Process blackberries in food processor or blender until smooth. Combine cream, buttermilk and sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add blackberry puree. Bring to simmer over low heat.
2. Pour water into small saucepan. Sprinkle with gelatin; heat over low heat, swirling pan until gelatin is dissolved. Pour into blackberry mixture. Stir until combined.
3. Strain mixture through fine mesh sieve or strainer, pressing down with rubber spatula. Pour evenly into 6 (8 ounce) ramekins or custard dishes. My mixture made 9 dishes, but they may have been smaller than 8 ounces. Refrigerate 6 hours or until set. To serve, unmold onto serving plates.