Thai Tea Panna Cotta with Mango Coulis

• Panna cotta recipe adapted from this oolong panna cotta recipe and this New York Times Cooking panna cotta recipe.
• Mango coulis recipe adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients

For the panna cotta:

• Neutral oil or nonstick cooking spray, for the ramekins
• 1 cup and 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 teaspoons (~1.5 pouches) powdered unflavored gelatin
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 grams Thai tea (~3 large tea bags)

For the mango coulis:

• 1 mango, preferably ripe, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 small lime

Directions

For the panna cotta:

1. In a small saucepan, mix 1 cup whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract and kosher salt over low heat. Add the Thai tea to a tea filter bag and steep at ~50°C for 30 minutes, or more to taste. Remove from or return to heat as needed.
2. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 3 tablespoons whole milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin onto the milk in an even layer and set aside for 10 minutes for the gelatin to “bloom”. The surface of the milk will turn dry and wrinkly.
3. Remove the tea bag. If tea has leaked into the cream mixture, strain the cream mixture through a nut milk bag to remove any tea leaves.
4. Add the bloomed gelatin to the cream mixture, and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved, returning to heat if needed.
5. Transfer the mixture to a large glass measuring cup or other heat-proof container with a pouring spout. Divide the mixture among ramekins. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

For the mango coulis:

1. Add mango, sugar and lime juice to a small saucepan and cook until mango is very soft and falls apart, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Blend mixture until very smooth (an immersion blender is great for this). Adjust sugar and lime juice to taste.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed strainer. Refrigerate until thick, at least 4 hours.

• Yield: ~6 servings
• Time: 30 minutes preparation; 30 minutes cooking; overnight refrigeration.

Cooking Notes

• Under no circumstances let the cream mixture steam: boiling off water will concentrate fats and proteins, which will lead to a grainy or curdled texture or separation of ingredients (like fats and liquids).
• Transferring the cream mixture from a saucepan to a pouring container is irksome and adds to the dishes, but it makes dividing the mixture much simpler and cleaner.
• If you plan to unmold the panna cotta before serving, make sure to lightly brush the ramekins with neutral oil, wiping away any excess with a paper towel.