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Easy Saffron Panna Cotta Recipe

This panna cotta recipe is made with local saffron, light and refreshing the perfect dessert to enjoy at the end of any meal. Panna cotta (cooked cream) is a dessert with Italian origins. However, like many culinary basics, this sweet has other names depending on where you are in the world – flan, creme caramel, blancmange, fruit fool and so on.

Saffron Panna Cotta

This dessert is easy to make, just allow enough time (3+ hours) for the panna cotta to set.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 28

Course Dessert

Cuisine French, Provencal

Servings people

Ingredients

2 g Agar see notes below
1 tsp saffron threads
a pinch of Salt
500 ml (16 oz) double cream
80 g (3 oz) caster sugar

Instructions

Using a pestle and mortar, grind the saffron strands with the salt until you have a fine powder.
In a saucepan, bring cream, sugar and agar to just before boiling point, stirring regularly, then lower the heat and stir until sugar has dissolved (this should only take a few minutes).
Remove from heat, then stir in the saffron powder.
Pour the cream through a strainer (to remove any lumps) and into 4 glasses.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Serve with seasonal fruit and a glass of rosé!

Notes

Agar: is a jelly-like substance, obtained from red algae.

Saffron is very strong, so make sure to use only a small teaspoon of it.

Keyword Saffron

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Saffron Farming in Provence

Did you know that our little provençal village Cotignac is home to a saffron farm (le Safran du Cabanon)? Called the ‘Safranière’, this farm is growing the most valuable spice in the world. Harvesting saffron is an extremely delicate matter. The flowers wilt very quickly, which means you have to check them every day to pick them at the right moment. You’ll need about 150,000 crocus flowers for 1 kilo of saffron!

Le Safran du Cabanon (website)
Cotignac
email: safran.cotignac@gmail.com

The property is located on the outskirts of Cotignac (a village you should plan to visit). Here, the crocus bulbs grow amongst wild rosemary and other herbes de Provence.

Saffron farming is hard work, which begins to explain the high cost of the spice. A bit like grapes, milk and other natural products saffron is impacted by terroir. Apparently, crocuses grown in North Africa will produce saffron that has a slightly different colour and aroma from that grown in Haute Provence. This spice is one of the most expensive in the world due to the intensely laborious production process. There are roughly four flowers for each bulb, and each bloom has three stigmas. It takes about 200-220 flowers to produce 1 gram of saffron (or between 150-200,000 flowers for 1 kilogram). Read more about saffron farming in Provence.

Recipes with Saffron

Appetizers:

Zucchini and Shrimp Fritters, Saffron Mayonnaise from Cocoa & Lavender

Main Dishes:

Mussels, Saffron and Leek Soup by Cook’n with Class

Cauliflower Saffron Soup by David at Cocoa & Lavender

Classic Bouillabaisse from Marseille by Gilles at Provence Gourmet

Saffron Broth for Poached Sea Bass by David at Cocoa & Lavender

Saffron Chicken with Potato and Courgette Bake by Mirabeau Wine

Fennel and Langoustine Ragoût with Saffron by David at Cocoa & Lavender

Saffron Shrimp Curry with Coconut by David at Cocoa & Lavender

Desserts:

Sweet Orange Crêpes Provençal with Saffron by Girl Gone Gallic

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Tags:Desserts,Saffron

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Maison Mirabeau Wine

Stephen had been in the corporate world for 15 years and in August 2008 turned down a promotion that would have meant more money but also more stress, longer hours and less time with his young family. For many years the Cronks had been dreaming and talking about moving to France to make their own wine, but the moment never seemed quite right to make the big leap.

Soon after, a good redundancy offer seemed the perfect opportunity to turn the dream into reality and after selling their beloved house, they left the leafy suburbs of south-west London in August 2009. Their worldly possessions were packed up on the back of a truck and with barely a word of French between them, the family headed south to a small village called Cotignac, in the heart of Provence.

The Cronks spent a year getting their bearings, learning to live the provençal way, as Stephen was criss-crossing the country researching and finding the best vineyards to work with. The next step was setting up a small wine business with the principle objective of making a Provence rosé that would be regarded as one of the very best from the region, while building a brand that people would grow to love. In order to achieve this aim, they put together a highly experienced winemaking team and threw their heart and soul into the brand and innovative communications with their customers. Mirabeau is now being sold in more than 30 markets, has won medals and earned acclaim from some of the world’s toughest wine critics, but what really makes Stephen happiest is that their wines are an integral part of people having a great time together.

Read more about the Mirabeau Wine story here.

Easy Saffron Panna Cotta Recipe