Panna cotta is the quiet test of a kitchen: cream, sugar, gelatine, nothing to hide behind, and it either tastes of cream or it does not.
- Cream, steeped with matcha, not stirred in.
- Japanese matcha, whisked to a smooth paste first.
- Set just enough to hold a quiver.
- Unsweetened cream, so the tea stays bitter.
The matcha goes in early, while the cream is still warm, so the green is even and the flavour is grassy rather than sweet. It sets in the mould overnight and turns out silky, with a faint bitterness at the back of the spoon that the sugar never quite covers. Served cold, straight from the fridge, the way panna cotta should be.
