Vanilla Almond Panna Cotta

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup milk (I use 2% Lactaid since that is all we really keep in the house)

• 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk or skim milk
• 1/2 cup Splenda granular
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. 1

   Pour 1/3 cup of milk into a small measuring cup and stir in the gelatin powder. Set aside. LIGHTLY oil a paper napkin and with a very light touch, wipe the inside of a glass pie plate or 6 custard ramekins.

2. 2

   In a saucepan, stir together the heavy cream, 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or regular milk) and sugar, and set over medium heat. Bring to a full boil, watching carefully and stirring near constantly, as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan.

3. 3

   Pour the gelatin and milk mixture into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

4. 4

   Remove from heat, stir in the almond and vanilla extracts and pour into six individual ramekin dishes or pie plate.

5. 5

   Cool the ramekins uncovered at room temperature. When cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before serving.

6. 6

   NOTES:

7. 7

   ~My local Whole Foods sells this with berries mixed in the dish. I suggest putting a few in the bottom of the dish, pouring the mixture over it and letting it set in the fridge for almost an hour and a half. Then put a few more berries on top to "rest" into the panna cotta as opposed to simply on top.

8. 8

   ~A few reviews from the allrecipes site mentioned the gelatin mix separating during cooling in the fridge. The best way that I have found to avoid this is after you have stirred in the extracts and before pouring into the dishes, pour the mixture into a glass Pyrex bowl or a heat safe jug. Gently move the dish in a water bath while stirring the mixture with a spoon to cool it completely before pouring into the serving dishes. By cooling the mixture quicker, I believe it gives it less time to separate.

9. 9

   ~Experiment with the flavors! Try adding some expresso to the mix and sprinkling it with cinnamon, or adding in some orange/lemon zest to the dish. Enjoy!