Impress your guests at your next dinner party with this incredible rhubarb, pea and chamomile panna cotta desert.
Head chef at Glas Restaurant, Malte Half is a master of his craft, with a passion for experimenting with different flavours and textures. Here, he shares his unusual rhubarb, pea and chamomile panna cotta.
Explaining the vision behind the recipe, he says: “Spring in Ireland is a bit unpredictable, but when it shows up, it really shows off. This dish is our way of capturing that moment – sweet peas, sharp forced rhubarb and the soft floral note of elderflower”.
“At Glas, we focus on letting vegetables take centre stage, treating them with the same care as anything else. This dessert is light, fresh and quietly indulgent and very achievable at home. Frozen peas and good-quality elderflower cordial work perfectly here, so don’t overthink it”.
Serves 4
Elderflower panna cotta
Ingredients
- 300g vegan cream (or double cream)
- 250g soy milk (or whole milk)
- 40g sugar
- 60g elderflower cordial
- 2g agar agar
- 2g fine salt
- pinch vanilla powder
Method
- Heat cream, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla until warm.
- Whisk in agar and bring to a rolling boil for 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat, cool slightly, then stir in elderflower cordial.
- Pour into 4 glasses or moulds and chill for at least 2 hours until set.
Poached rhubarb
Ingredients
- 200g forced rhubarb
- 40g sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 vanilla pod, scraped
Method
- Cut rhubarb into even pieces.
- Place in a pan with sugar, vanilla and a splash of water.
- Cook gently for 5–8 minutes until just tender.
- Cool in the syrup.
Pea gel
Ingredients
- 300g frozen peas (defrosted)
- 150g water
- 80g apple juice
- 30g sugar
- 2g fine salt
- 2g agar
- 10g olive oil
Method
- Blend peas and water until smooth, then pass through a sieve.
- Bring apple juice, sugar, salt and agar to a rolling boil.
- Whisk into pea mixture, then blend.
- Chill until set, then blend again until smooth.
- Finish with olive oil.
Chamomile crumble
Ingredients
- 120g flour (gluten-free or plain)
- 70g cold vegan butter or margarine
- 30g sugar
- 2g salt
- 2 chamomile tea bags (or 2g dried chamomile)
Method
- Rub all ingredients together to a crumble.
- Spread on a tray and bake at 165°C for 15-18 minutes until golden.
- Cool completely.
To serve
Spoon the pea gel onto a plate, add the panna cotta, and arrange the rhubarb alongside. Finish with a generous sprinkle of chamomile crumble and a little of the rhubarb syrup.
