There’s just something so sophisticated about black and white, and it shows in this black coffee and buttermilk panna cotta with vanilla crumble – the perfect sweet treat to refine your fancy dessert-making skills.

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the vanilla crumble
100 g cake flour
100 g buttermilk
¼ cup caster sugar
½ vanilla pod, deseeded
For the buttermilk panna cotta
3 sheets gelatin leaves
125 ml espresso
50 g muscovado sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
375 ml double cream
Pinch of salt
Icing sugar, for dusting

METHOD
For the vanilla crumble
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place the flour, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla seeds in a bowl. Use your fingertips to combine until the mixture reaches a breadcrumb consistency.
3. Place on a greased baking tray and bake for 10–15 minutes until golden brown.
4. Allow the crumble to cool.
For the buttermilk panna cotta
1. Place the gelatin in a bowl with ice water. Set aside and allow to bloom.
2. Combine the espresso, sugar and cocoa in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
3. Stir in the cream and salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the gelatin. Whisk until the gelatin has dissolved.
4. Pour into panna cotta moulds, then place in the fridge until completely set.
5. Once set, turn the panna cottas out on to plates. Sprinkle the vanilla crumble over each panna cotta, then finish with a light dusting of icing sugar.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

To accompany your black coffee and buttermilk panna cotta, why not serve coffee chocolate biscotti as well?