Strawberries and Cream

I like to make ahead as many components of a dinner party as possible which is why I developed this recipe. It is visually very pretty and can be adapted to use whatever seasonal berries or fruits you like. It is a rich dessert so make in small portions.

Ingredients

1 whole	Vanilla bean
300 ml	Cream
2 sheets	Gelatine leaves
115 g	Caster sugar
50 ml	Buttermilk
100 ml	Whole milk
500 g	Strawberries (Main)
55 g	Caster sugar
½ whole	Lemons
5 sheets	Gelatine leaves
6 whole	Meringues
1 tsp	Rosewater

Directions

1. Make your meringues using your favourite recipe but adding some rosewater to taste and a little pink colouring or strawberry essence. Set aside in an airtight tin until assembly time.
2. Make your vanilla panacotta by dissolving the first measure of caster sugar into the cream and buttermilk. Soften the gelatine sheets in the whole milk then add to the hot cream mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into approx 6 clear dessert dishes. Cover and put into fridge to set.
3. Make the strawberry jelly. Hull and chop strawberries, place in a bowl above a pan of simmering water together with the lemon juice and next measure of caster sugar. Shake from time to time so heat evenly distributed. Takes about 30 minutes for juice to be released. Using a jelly bag or fine muslin, sieve the juice from the strawberry pulp - let gravity do the work, do not push through for
4. a clear jelly. I find it best to let this process happen over night.
5. Pour the strawberry jelly over the set pannacotta, cover and let set.
6. Assemble dessert by roughly breaking the meringues on top of the jelly with some extra whipped cream and fresh strawberries to garnish.
7. NOTE: Don't waste the strawberry pulp. I make jam with it or turn into a homemade ice-cream or sorbet using an ice-cream machine.