Panna Cotta with Beet Cake

Panna Cotta is a classic and much easier than it looks! We went to Oceana to get their recipe - which includes the basic steps and also a suggestion for how to make it a bit more exciting

Panna Cotta with Beet Cake:

Panna Cotta
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. and 2 tsp. Knox Gelatin 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine ingredients and set five minutes. Slightly whisk.
6 cups heavy cream
1 1⁄2 cup confectioner’s sugar 2 tsp. salt

Whisk all ingredients together over medium heat until warm. Add Gelatin mixture to heavy cream and dissolve. Pour into mold. Let cool.

Beet Cake
For beet mixture
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 lb. beets, peeled, finely chopped 3⁄4 orange zest
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄2 lemon, juiced
1 cup egg whites
1⁄2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar

Add 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Add beets, orange zest, salt, lemon. Simmer until about 1 tbsp. of syrup remains. Puree syrup and beets. Do not fully puree the syrup and beets. It is important to have small pieces of beet in the mixture. Let cool.

Whisk whites to medium peaks. Add remaining sugar to stiff. Fold in flour, then butter. Fold in beet mixture.Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Run a knife along the outside of the beet cake, and put a piece of parchment paper on top of the cake. Place another sheet tray on top of that and flip over. Peel off Silpat. Invert the cake back to the original plan.

Take mold and press into cake. Add Panna Cotta. Refrigerate until set for three hours, until set. Remove. Wrap hot towel around the mold, remove the mold.