Lemony panna cotta with toasted milk crumbs

Method

• step 1

  Put the gelatine into a bowl of cold water to soften. Combine the cream, milk, vanilla and 70g of the sugar in a pan, and very gently warm for 5 mins to a simmer – do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and grate in the zest of the lemon, getting the flavourful oils into the cream. Squeeze all the water out of the gelatine and stir into the cream until fully dissolved. Pour into four ramekins and put in the fridge for 3-4 hrs or until set.

• step 2

  For the crumbs, heat the oven to 195C/175C fan/gas 5. Dry-roast the milk powder in a large frying pan over a medium heat for 4-5 mins, mixing continuously, until it tints a golden sandy brown colour, being careful not to burn. Tip into a mixing bowl along with the flour, remaining sugar and ½ tsp of fine sea salt. Mix well, then rub in the butter. Drizzle over 1 tsp of water and make chunky crumbs by squeezing handfuls of the damp mixture in your hands, letting it clump into different-sized pieces onto a lined baking sheet – you want some bigger lumps and some sandy rubble for textural contrast.

• step 3

  Bake for 7-8 mins or until toasty and golden, giving them a shake and turning the baking sheet halfway through. Remove from the oven and cool completely – they will harden as they cool. Tip out the set panna cottas onto serving plates, drizzle lemon curd over the top and sprinkle over the toasted milk crumbs.