Fig leaves have a flavour and scent somewhere between tree sap, desiccated coconut and a freshly picked green fig. It’s a mellow flavour that is coaxed out by a light toasting in the oven. These toasted leaves lend a warm, grassy, July-dusk flavour to a delicate panna cotta.
Macerated blackberries or other poached summer fruit, to serve
METHOD
Lightly oil six dariole or similar-size panna cotta moulds.
Preheat the grill and lay out the fig leaves on a baking sheet. With the door open, and half an eye on them, lightly toast the fig leaves for a few minutes, until they begin to smell good and toasty. Remove from the oven.
Slake the gelatine in a small bowl of cold water until softened.
Meanwhile, gently heat the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan. Add the toasted fig leaves to the warming milk mixture, scrunching the leaves with your hands as you drop them into the pan. When the mixture comes to the boil remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for three to four minutes.
Remove the gelatine from the soaking water and squeeze it in your hands to remove as much excess water as you can. Add the gelatine to the warm cream mixture and stir well to dissolve (make sure the cream is warm enough to melt the gelatine).
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, discarding the solids in the sieve. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared moulds then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least four hours before serving.
To serve, turn out the panna cottas from their moulds onto serving plates and serve with macerated blackberries or other poached summer fruit.
⇢ Cook's tip
Fig leaves are surprisingly easy to find. Fig trees grow wild all over the countryside around me in Sardinia, and I have seen them in London too, in public parks and alongside canals.
Recipe from La Vita è Dolce: Italian-inspired Desserts by Letitia Clark (Hardie Grant, £26). Order your copy from The Telegraph Bookshop
