Saturday, January 19, 2013

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Gelée and a Giveaway


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It’s only a few more weeks from Valentine’s Day.  If you do celebrate, I have a fabulous dessert recipe for you today.  Okay, even if you don’t celebrate, you can still make this gorgeous desserts, right?  Who knows, if you make this dessert for that special someone, after just one bite (of the dessert of course), that person could be falling in love with you.  Worse case scenario, that person only falls in love with this dessert. Smile with tongue out

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After tasting this Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Jelly, my Little Boy named it “Bouncy Jelly with Cream”.  Open-mouthed smile Very descriptive and to the point!  My Little Girl was too busy eating and she didn’t even say a word until the whole cup disappeared in less than a few minutes.

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Just like how my Little Boy described it, the Pomegranate Lemon Gelée was quite bouncy, yet tender and smooth.  The perfect texture for Gelée.  It’s sweet and tart at the same time.  Super refreshing and packed with fresh lemon scent because of the NuNaturals Lemon NuStevia that I used as the sweetener.  The Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta was creamy and decadent.  The vanilla aroma was wonderful.  Please note that I don’t normally use sweeteners because of the after-taste that is often associated with most of them.  I have to say, I was very surprised there’s no after taste from these natural liquid sweeteners at all.   I also love the fact that these sweeteners are made with natural ingredients, alcohol free and gluten free.  It’s a great way to reduce or eliminate refined sugar from my diet, yet still satisfy my sweet tooth cravings.
      
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Want to check out how to make these Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Gelée?  Please follow me to the kitchen.

1)  In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, vanilla seeds and pod on medium-low heat until simmer. Cover, remove from heat and let mixture steep for an hour.

2) Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes, or until the gelatin softens. Reheat the vanilla cream mixture and add the gelatin mixture into the hot cream, stir to dissolve. (sorry, I forgot to take a picture of that) Add the Vanilla Sweetener, taste and add more if needed.

3) Strain mixture into a measuring cup with beaker.

4) Equally divided the mixture into 10 3-ounce ramekins or glasses, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight or until set.

Pictorial A

5) In a small heat proofed bowl, place 1/2 cup pomegranate juice and powdered gelatin and mix well. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

6) Place the remaining 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice in a measuring cup. Heat the gelatin mixture in the microwave for 30 to 45 second, or until gelatin dissolved. Add gelatin mixture to the measuring cup, add Lemon Sweetener and adjust to your own taste.

7) Evenly divided the pomegranate mixture over the panna cottas and refrigerate for at least two hours, or until set.

8) Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and mint leaves when ready to serve.

Pictorial B

Simple enough, right?  I hope you’re convinced to give this dessert a try.

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Here’s a closer look of that perfect bite.  The fresh pomegranate seeds on top add a little crunch and the juice will burst in your mouth when you bite into one. 
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Great news for you, my friends!  Here’s a chance to win some of these NuNaturals products of your own to create this wonderful dessert, courtesy of NuNaturals. 


This giveaway is now closed.  Winners were announced on this post.

Giveaway Details:
1) NuNaturals generously offered 4 uTry.it readers a bottle of each of their new all-natural sweeteners (as shown in the picture below):
  • Chocolate NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle
  • Lemon NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle
  • Orange NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle
  • Peppermint NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle

Products

2) This giveaway is open worldwide

3) To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite thing to make/cook for a special occasion.

4) Deadline to enter is January 28th, 2013 (my mid-night PST). Winners will be randomly selected and notify by email. So, please make sure to leave your email address in the comment so that I can contact you if you’re one of the lucky winners.

5) For extra entries, share this post (with a link back to this post) on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or any social media that you like.  Simply leave a separate comment for each action that you did to let me know you’ve shared.

NuNaturals is also offering a special discount for uTry.it’s readers as well.  At check out, enter the SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE of  BLG0613 to receive a  -15% discount on your entire order. This Discount remains effective until  June, 30, 2013.

That’s all. Good Luck everyone.



Disclaimer: I received NuNaturals products free of charge to try.  I was not required to write a review at all, nor a positive one.  I was NOT compensated in any other way.  All opinions are 100% my own.




Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Gelée:  (Printable Recipe)
Servings: 10


Ingredients for Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta:
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3/4  dropperful NuNatural Vanilla Sweetener (more or less, depending on your preference)
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds and fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Ingredient for Pomegranate Lemon Jelly
11/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 dropperful NuNatural Lemon Sweetener

To prepare the Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta:

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, vanilla seeds and pod on medium-low heat until simmer. Cover, remove from heat and let mixture steep for an hour.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes, or until the gelatin softens.  Reheat the vanilla cream mixture and add the gelatin mixture into the hot cream, stir to dissolve.  Add the Vanilla Sweetener, taste and add more if needed.  Strain mixture into 10 3-ounce ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight or until set.

To Prepare the Pomegranate Lemon Jelly:
In a small heat proofed bowl, place 1/2 cup pomegranate juice and powdered gelatin and mix well. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice in a measuring cup.  Heat the gelatin mixture in the microwave for 30 to 45 second, or until gelatin dissolved.  Add gelatin mixture to the measuring cup, add Lemon Sweetener and adjust to your own taste.  Evenly divided the pomegranate mixture over the panna cottas and refrigerate for at least two hours, or until set. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and mint leaves when ready to serve. 

65 comments:

  1. One must turn down a bouncy dessert!

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  2. Of course I meant NEVER turn down!

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  3. Amy, what gorgeous desserts! And they are so beautifully presented too.

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  4. I don't have a go to recipe for special occasions. I really enjoy trying new recipes. Your panna cotta looks so delicious. I tried panna cotta for the first time when I went to Disney World. I'm hooked. Can't wait to give yours a try. Yummy!

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  5. Your panna cottas are beautiful! For a special occasion I like to make either a key lime pie or something lemony.

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    1. Key Lime pie sounds delicious. ;) Good luck on the giveaway.

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  6. I really would like to try this dessert one day. You made this looking so beautiful.

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  7. Oh Amy! These look divine!! Waaayyy too lovely to scarf down in mere seconds, which is probably what I would end up doing after the first bite. These are definitely on my "to do" list now! ;)

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  8. Capital A for Amazing ... pics and YOU!

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  9. Delicious recipe! The pom-lemon gelee looks incredible! My fave thing to make for a special occasion is banoffee pie, yum!

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    1. A Banoffee Pie sounds wonderful and definitely a gorgeous dessert to make for special occasion. :) Best of luck in the giveaway.

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  10. Pana cotta is definitely a favorite dessert of my family. I love the soft texture and the rich flavor! The addition of pomegranate lemon gelée sounds super delicious. Thanks for sharing it!

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  11. You have a beautiful blog! Thank you so much for stopping by mine and leaving such a thoughtful comment. I can't wait to see what you cook and photograph next.

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  12. my favorite thing to bake is Coconut Cream Pie
    heartnsoulcooking at gmail dot com

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    1. I don't make pies often, but Coconut cream pie sounds divine and I love it. Definitely a great choice to celebrate special occasion. Bet of luck in the giveaway.

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  13. tweeted
    https://twitter.com/Gerisandoval/status/293199188139855872
    heartnsoulcooking at gmail dot com

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  14. yummmmmy and very tempting..nice cliks...BTW nice to meet u.This is MAHA.u have a nice space n recipes.

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  15. These desserts are simply lovely! I've also received these samples from NuNaturals & has just finished my Giveaway recently. Made a Matcha Dessert with it for X'mas :)

    Thks for visiting Shirley's Luxury Haven! I'm following u now @ GFC & Pinterest & would love to have u follow me too. Looking fwd to sharing our love for food!

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  16. So pleased you dropped by my place. I love your photos and am gonna stay and read more ( signed up) . Looking forward to more of your lovely recipes. There is nothing better than a delicate pannacotta and it must be delicious with pommegrante. I am a bit of a fiend for a tart when I have people over. A moussy chocolate and orange tart always works well

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  17. I like to make a red, white and blue trifle for the forth of July. I adorn with a Ststue of Liberty statue and flag picks.

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  18. I don't have a go-to recipe for special occasions but love to make all kinds of desserts. My husband uses stevia in his drinks and I've been wanting to try the liquid stevia for baking. Great giveaway! gert003 at aol dot com

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  19. Whenever I have guests over I love to bake a DANISH ALMOND PUFF PASTRY
    bjn1957{at}gmail{dot}com

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    Replies
    1. Danish Almond Puff Pastry sounds wonderful. ;) Best of luck in the giveaway.

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  20. Oh my, I love panna cotta and your easy recipe plus step by step photos are tempting me right now. I must make this. But first, I hope to win so I can do your exact recipe. I love to bake with chocolate, and also with lemon which my sons enjoy. Thanks for the nice blog-visit. Will share this on Twitter! Happy Monday :-)

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  21. I love your Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Gelée recipe and the pretty photos.

    My favorite thing to make is called Hot Chocolate Cake. My family LOVES it and it is the most requested birthday cake. donnabardocz@savance.com

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    1. wooo...a Hot Chocolate Cake sounds delicious. I would love to learn how to make one. ;) Best of luck in the giveaway.

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  22. Shared on facebook too. donnabardocz@savance.com

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  23. Shared on Twitter too. donnabardocz@savance.com

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  24. wow what beautiful photos! Looks so amazing!

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  25. This looks amazing! Panna Cotta is one of my families favorites. This recipe is a must try.

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  26. I am a big fan of panna cotta and it is so easy to make. I thkn many are intimidate. I love your version with this bouncy jelly. Pretty pics. This year I 'll have two, but just for me :-D

    For special occasions I am really into homemade hors d'oeuvres sice I have played with homemade cheese and cured meats. Great giveaway.

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    Replies
    1. Homemade cheese and cured meats sounds wonderful. I would love to get my hands on them some day. ;) I bet they are divine in your homemade hors d'oeuvres. Best of luck on the giveaway and thanks for sharing with your friends on Twitter and Facebook.

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  27. Shared on facebook https://www.facebook.com/evelynebud

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  28. cheapethniceatz at gmail dot com
    tweeted https://twitter.com/cethniceatz/status/293409483336609793

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  29. Oh my goodness...these are stunning! I can't even stand it...wow!

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  30. this really does look wonderful - I have never tried panna cotta - you always make such beautiful creations!

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  31. How very pretty! Great presentation.

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  32. What a gorgeous looking dessert and I love how you styled them with the ribbon. They are such a pretty colour and yes, just perfect for Valentine's Day. My favourite thing to make for a special occasion would have to be a cake. I think a dessert that everyone can share is perfect for a special occasion xx

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  33. I just love to cook and doing it with my 4 yo makes it very special :)
    Your pictures are great, great giveaway!!

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  34. Oh wow! Love what you have done with the pom :)I usually make brownies.. for any ocassion just because they are so easy and so popular :)It's also gluten free so that's a bonus for celiacs!

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  35. Love your presentation. Very festive and definitely a valentine's day treat.

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  36. these are absolutely gorgeous! they sound soooooooo delicious, perfect for valentines day!

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  37. What gorgeous panna cotta! I may have to retry this dessert as yours are PERFECT for Valentine's Day! And the lemon pom combination sounds divine~

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  38. These look great! Hmm, there are way too many things I like to make for special occasions! It's most often some sort of dessert like fruit tarts or small cakes. But given the warm weather at the moment, I've been making a DIY grass jelly station for our special meals - some pandan sugar syrup, chopped fruits, cooked adzuki beans, corn kernals and some coconut milk or condensed milk =)

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  39. What a fantastic giveaway!! I would love to have those! My family is very fond of Indian sweets and puddings. So for special occasions I prefer to make a simple rice pudding with milk + sugar+ cardamom +nuts and raisin. This my family enjoys hot or cold ( from the refrigerator).

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  40. Tweeted it at https://twitter.com/thevanillaco/status/293609232438267904
    Email: info[at]thevanillaco.com

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  42. Your panna cotta is absolutely gorgeous! Awesome giveaway -- those sweeteners would make baking more awesome!

    I make chocolate cupcakes with creme de menthe and chocolate chip frosting for special occasions (they're reserved for my special someone who absolutely loves them). :D

    (sorries, had to remove my previous comment coz I forgot my email addy: aubreyangeles@gmail.com)

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  43. This panna cotta looks great and perfectly cute for Valentine's Day. I have the perfect dishes to put it in as well!

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  44. YOWZA im drooling, what a beautiful presentation. I would love to make this dessert. My mouth is watering just admiring your tutorial. Sign me up Amy! My go to dessert to impress is a decadent cheesecake, these flavors would be a huge addition. Thanks for sharing. Email sewarddotvatgmail.com

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  45. My favorite dessert to make is Lemon Sponge Pie or Lemon Meringue...... all 4 of these flavors sound awesome ..... I could certainly put them to good use!!!

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  46. Thanks so much for stopping by so that I could find all of your delicious recipes. This panna cotta looks so light and delicious and a perfect dish for your special someone. Looking forward to keeping in touch. Take Care, BAM

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  47. Your dessert (and photos) look amazing!!! I think that your children have given this dessert the best descriptions though...very descriptive!!! So nice to meet you. Looking forward to staying in touch!

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  48. Your Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Gelée looks fabulous and I am sure it would be very tasty. It looks like the perfect dessert for a Valentine's menu. Thanks for sharing.

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  49. Amy, your dessert looks very impressive! Can make this for Valentine's Day too :)
    BTW leave me out for this giveaway as I already got a set from NuNaturals.

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    1. Thank you, Ann. Yes, I saw your post using NuNaturals. Aren't they great? I love what I've tried so far. :) Can't wait to experiment new recipes with them.

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  50. Always love panna cotta! A great dessert to make ahead. Yours look perfect and very creamy! Excellent idea for Valentine's day.

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  51. I love making cheesecakes for a special occaision.
    rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

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  52. oh my godddddddd... loooking soooooooooo gooood... i love the red and white... just like snow white and the vampire :-p

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