Tangy vanilla bean panna cotta
2 tablespoons cold water
2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lenghtwise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
-In a small bowl, whisk together cold water and gelatin and let soften for 5 minutes.
-In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, sugar, vanilla bean, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to dissolve sugar, until mixture is hot (don’t let it boil!). Remove from heat and whisk in gelatin mixture until smooth. Let mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove vanilla bean and scrape the caviar into pan, discarding the pod.
-In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk and sour cream and then whisk into heavy cream mixture until smooth. Divide texture equally among 6 6-ounce ramekins, custard cups, or coffee cups. Chill, uncovered, until firm, 3 to 4 hours. To serve, unmold panna cottas onto dessert dishes or serve straight from the ramekins in which they were chilled.
*Turn it into Honey-vanilla panna cotta: Reduce granulated sugar to 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup honey along the sugar.
