Concord Grape Gelée Panna Cotta Parfait

[kirra]

Concord Grape Gelée Panna Cotta Parfait
Unforgettable Desserts

I cannot get enough of the incomparable, musky, aromatic flavor of Concord grapes. Unfortunately, they have a very short season and are often hard to find. They also have a tough skin and are full of large seeds. Concord grape juice, however, is available in most supermarkets, and I have put it to good use here in two forms: It makes a generous portion of dark purple gelée, layered beneath a creamy panna cotta, and it is reduced into a sauce for a seedless red grape compote, which crowns the parfait. The result is a dessert that is filled with Concord grape flavor, without the fuss.

Ingredients:

Concord Grape Gelée:

2 cups 100% grape juice, such as Welch’s
2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin

Panna Cotta:

1 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream

Grape Compote:

12 ounces small or medium red seedless grapes (about 2 cups), sliced in half lengthwise
3 cups 100% grape juice, such as Welch’s
1/2 cup sugar

Preparation:

Gelée:
Have ready six 10- to 12-ounce clear wineglasses. Pour about 1/4 cup of the grape juice in a saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over; allow to sit for 5 minutes to soften. Begin to melt the mixture over very low heat, add the remaining juice, and whisk gently until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or pitcher with a spout. Divide the mixture between the glasses. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set.

Panna Cotta:
Pour the milk into a large saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and set aside for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.

Heat over very low heat, stirring gently, until the gelatin dissolves. Add the sugar; stir to help dissolve. Stir in the cream and heat just until warm and absolutely all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well combined.

Strain into a large pitcher and cool to barely warm. Divide the panna cotta mixture between the goblets, pouring very slowly and gently over the gelée. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set. Or refrigerate for up to 1 day, covering the tops of the goblets with plastic wrap.

Compote:
Put the sliced grapes in a heatproof bowl; set aside. Pour the juice and sugar into a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup; this will take quite a while—at least 20 minutes. Watch carefully.

As it reduces, the aroma will become more pronounced, and bubbles that slowly pop open will cover the surface. The mixture will start to reduce very quickly at this point. Once it is slightly thick and syrupy, pour over the grapes and gently toss to coat. Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 6 hours. Serves 6

Plating:
Simply divide the compote between the glasses and serve immediately.

Notes:
As with any dessert requiring gelatin, accurate measuring is important; too much gelatin and the texture will be overly firm.

When making the compote, it does take a while to reduce the juice mixture, but watch it carefully because it can overly reduce and burn quite easily, ruining your pan.