Salted caramel panna cotta

Method

• step 1

  Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water. Mix the sugar and 25ml water in a pan. Heat gently until the sugar melts, then boil until it becomes a dark amber colour. Remove from heat and add a pinch of sea salt.

• step 2

  Add the double cream to the caramel very slowly, continuously whisking. (If you pour it too quickly, the sugar will solidify. Put the pan back on the heat to re-melt it if this happens.) Then add the milk, off the heat again, and mix well.

• step 3

  Scrape the seeds from the split vanilla pod and drain the gelatine from the water.

• step 4

  The cream mix should be warm rather than hot. Stir through the vanilla seeds and drained gelatine.

• step 5

  Strain through a sieve into a jug and divide the mixture into 6 ramekins (approx. 90ml each). Put onto a tray, and put in the fridge. Chill overnight until set.

• step 6

  Serve the panna cotta by running a knife around the sides of the ramekins to loosen them, then tip them very carefully onto plates. Give the ramekin
  a shake and leave upside down on the plate for minute if the panna cotta doesn’t come out straight away. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar just before serving.