Panna Cotta

For reasons I can't articulate, I've been terrified of custardy desserts. Maybe it's the fantastic failure at my attempt at a lemon meringue pie, or maybe it's the bother of stirring constantly lest I scald boiling milk and thereby ruin my dessert.

Anyway.

Panna cotta is so stupidly easy that my terror of it is rather embarrassing. Had my pregnant self not been craving it so strongly, I probably wouldn't have ventured.

Ingredients:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin (about 1 tablespoon)

2 tablespoons cold water

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup half and half

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1)In a very small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand about 1 minute to soften. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat until gelatin is dissolved and remove pan from heat.

2) In a large saucepan bring cream, half and half, and sugar just to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture and vanilla.

3) Divide cream mixture among eight 1/2-cup ramekins and cool to room temperature. Chill ramekins, covered, at least 4 hours or overnight.

4) Dip ramekins, 1 at a time, into a bowl of hot water 3 seconds. Run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin and invert ramekin onto center of a small plate.