Round off your ultimate summer feast with this sublime bay leaf panna cotta with poached rhubarb and shortbread recipe by Dean Parker of Sister Restaurant.

NEED TO KNOW

Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS

For the shortbread:

  • 75g plain flour
  • 1.5g baking powder
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1.5g vanilla paste
  • 60g butter, soft
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Pinch of salt

For the poached rhubarb:

  • 250g rhubarb
  • 100g sugar
  • 1.5g ginger
  • 1/2 lime, zest
  • 50ml water

For the panna cotta:

  • 100ml double cream
  • 2 burnt bay (bay leaves that have been chared on a hot barbecue or oven)
  • 40g white chocolate
  • 1/2 sheet gelatine
  • 90g sour cream
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1.5g vanilla paste
METHOD

First, prepare the shortbread. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla and finally mix in the dry ingredients to form a dough. Leave to rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.

Roll the dough out between two layers of baking parchment. Bake until dry and golden for about 12 minutes. Allow to cool and break into random pieces.

Next, prepare the rhubarb. Trim the rhubarb. Blend any trimmings with the sugar, ginger and lime zest and water. Gently poach the rhubarb in this liquid until softened. Strain and set aside.

To prepare the panna cotta, bring the double cream to the boil, remove from the heat and pour over the burnt bay leaves. Cover with clingfilm and allow the cream to cool completely.

Strain the bay leaves out of the cream. Bring the strained cream to the boil with the drained gelatine, vanilla and sugar. Remove from the heat, pour over the white chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted and incorporated. Allow to cool at room temperature and fold into the sour cream. Set in the fridge until required.

To serve, dice the poached rhubarb and sprinkle the shortbread shards on the plate. Top with the bay leaf panna cotta.