Grapefruit Panna Cotta with Candied Kumquats
Robin Friday, January 1, 2010 at 7:41PM 
It almost seems counterintuitive that such a lively crop as citrus would ripen in the cold, dreary winter months. Perhaps it's nature's way of preventing us from all going stir crazy as the blustery cold batters us into a wintry depression - give us just enough sunshine to keep us all happy.
Of those citrus currently available, grapefruit is by far my favorite; something about the play of sweet, sour, and bitter that tantalizes the taste buds.
I first had a grapefruit panna cotta at Passionfish and have since entertained recreating it at home. The flavor infuses perfectly into the rich cream and counters it sufficiently - a satisfying dessert that doesn't weigh too heavily on the stomach after a rich meal. That one was topped with a vanilla citrus sauce, citrus segments, and candied kumquat peels, while I decided to stick with only candied kumquat slices.
Kumquats are another intriguing citrus that defy the stereotype of the typical fruit. Whereas most citrus have sweet flesh and bitter peel and pith, kumquats have pucker-worthy flesh and sugary-sweet peels. Delightful to just pop in the mouth as a sweet-tart treat, they're equally fun to candy and use as a garnish on a variety of dishes.
Though not waistline-friendly, panna cotta is too delicious to not indulge in every once in a while - and what better time than now, after the holidays, when all the Christmas cheer has passed and it's still several dreary months before the sunshine arrives in full force once again?
Grapefruit Panna Cotta
Yields approximately 5 servings
1 cup skim milk
1 cup heavy cream (preferably not ultra-pasteurized)
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons grapefruit zest (about 2 fruit)
5 tablespoons fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 packet unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup plain skim yogurt
Lightly oil five 1-cup ramekins, set aside. Mix milk and cream in heavy saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and add to pot, along with pod. Add zest. Bring just to a simmer and remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to steep. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over grapefruit juice and let sit for 10 minutes, or until gelatin has dissolved. Strain the milk and cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and return to a clean saucepan. Stir gelatin mixture, sugar, and yogurt into the cream mixture. Stir over medium heat just until gelatin and sugar completely dissolve. Divide equally among ramekins. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Note: I found that using cooking spray on the ramekins works much better for releasing the panna cotta than the traditional method of rubbing them with vegetable oil.
Nutritional Estimate
This is a nutritional estimate, regard it as such.
1 serving = 1 panna cotta or 1/5th of recipe
297 calories
29 g carbohydrates
18 g fat
7 g protein
Candied Kumquats
Kumquats
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Slice kumquats. Mix sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook the sliced kumquats in the syrup over medium heat for 15 minutes. Keep tightly covered in the refrigerator covered in their own syrup for up to two weeks.
Nutritional Estimate
Bad for you.
citrus, dessert, fruit, grapefruit, kumquat, panna cotta, sweet, winter, yogurt in food, recipes Email Article Permalink Print Article
Reader Comments (12)
Lovely! I've had a container of kumquats in my fridge for some time and they are not going to last forever...thanks for this inspiration!
I didn't know your blog, and what a great surprise! It's beautiful, both the photos and the recipes. I'm definitely coming back.
Cheers,
Paula
I love panna cotta when I order it in restaurants, but I never thought of making it at home. Beautiful blog
Oh, I love this recipe. I have been eating kumquats this New Year's here in Japan. I would like to try this recipe.
Winnie: Candying would be perfect for those languishing kumquats!
Paula: Thank you for the kind words.
Zoe: Panna cotta is surprisingly easy to make at home - even easier if one can get their hands on gelatin sheets.
Michael: It's the perfect time for it. Now if only I could get my paws on some of the yuzu you have over there...
Ohhhhh...panna cotta. How I love thee. What a beautiful blog! Will be visiting often.
Happy New Year!
Oh, I love panna cotta. I never think to put citrus in it--I always think it will curdle. This sounds just divine--especially with the kumquats! The perfect dessert for Nigel's Fish.
You mentioned that you might try Nigel's recipe with some swordfish. I'd love to know how it works out. I'm wondering if it will be the same with a firm fleshed fish rather than a flaky one. Will you let me know?
I'm enjoying cruising around your blog. I love NC. If we moved back to the US, NC is one of the handful of places we'd look at living.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Thanks for writing yours!
Shauna: Thanks!
Kate: I think I'll use half the swordfish for fish tacos and half for that recipe. Just need to go out and get some anchovies and I'll be set! I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.
This looks so beautiful! I'm going to make this and some french toast for my sister's bday brunch this weekend. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
This is by far the best panacotta I have ever made! I have been making panacotta in the past, but nothing compares with this recipe. I tried serving this up in our recent house party and everyone loved it. It even went really well with a freshly brewed cup of espreso Great post and great pics! Thanks a lot.
I used this recipe today for my first time making panna cotta and got an a* for it on my food tech coursework! the instruictions are easy to follow and the finished product is divine. Thank you.
@Katie - That's great! Thank you SO much for sharing this with me. You've just made my day! :)