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Strawberry panna cotta

We are always on the hunt for puddings that rely on the natural sweetness of fruit and vegetables, so cutting back on added sugar. This summer we are adding to our menus a simple fruity panna cotta, says Mary Llewellin.

Ingredients

Serves 8 children

200g strawberries

300ml single cream

150ml milk

3 gelatine leaves (use Vegegel or Agar flakes to make it suitable for vegetarians, following instructions based on 650ml of liquid)

Method

Put the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water for around five minutes to soften.

Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and heat gently until hot but not boiling.

Squeeze the excess water out of the gelatine leaves and add them one by one to the hot cream, stirring until they are completely dissolved.

Leave for 30 minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, cut the tops off the strawberries, rinse them and blend them to a smooth purée in a food processor. You can sieve the purée to remove the tiny strawberry pips but this isn’t essential.

Gently stir the purée into the cooling cream, pour the mixture into individual bowls or a serving dish and refrigerate until set.

Alternatives

Serve with extra purée or some chopped strawberries on top. We are going to experiment with other fruits too – gooseberries would work well, gently poached before blitzing with just enough sugar to take away the tartness and sieved to remove the pips.