We all know Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks and spend time with family and friends. There is turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and goodies galore – the feast often goes all day long…but for many it’s all about the decadent desserts!
Everyone has their own special traditions and a lot of fond memories to go with them. From a spread of cookies and homemade candies, to the big buffet of pies – apple, lemon meringue, pecan and of course pumpkin – pumpkin is always a favorite!!
But if you’re looking to spice things up this year and bring something new to the table, why not switch up that pumpkin pie routine with my Pumpkin Panna Cotta with Ale Caramel and Sea Salt. It’s easy to make these ahead and portion in little mason jars. Yes, that’s right – you can do this a week ahead and cover with lids. Perfect for easy transporting too!
For serving, just remove the lids and drizzle with the caramel whipped up with your favorite local holiday brew (you can make this in advance too!) then top with whipped cream. Yum!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
-Kathy
Pumpkin Panna Cotta with Ale Caramel & Sea Salt
You can make the panna cotta up to 5 days in advance — just keep tightly wrapped with plastic. The caramel sauce can also be prepared up to a week beforehand, making it the perfect dessert for a busy holiday schedule.
Makes 8 regular (4-oz) servings or 16 mini (2-oz) servings
1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
1 cup cream
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mascarpone
1 cup pumpkin puree (pure pumpkin, not pre-seasoned pie filling)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1 cup Holiday Ale Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
Sea salt for sprinkling (sea salt)
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Soak until the gelatin is soft, then microwave on high power for only about 2 seconds, or until the gelatin is melted but not foaming up.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream, sugar, sour cream, mascarpone, pumpkin, vanilla, and spices. Add the gelatin and whisk together well.
Place the mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, being sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth and hot (150 to 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer).
Remove from the heat and divide the mixture evenly among 8 regular or 16 mini martini glasses (or 8 custard or 16 espresso cups). Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic does not touch the panna cotta. Refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours to set.
To serve: Drizzle each panna cotta with ale caramel sauce (1 tablespoon for the minis or 2 for the larger portions), and then sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
Chef’s note: If making the ale caramel sauce is too much for your schedule, then substitute with a speed scratch sea salt caramel sauce; mix 1/2 cup purchased high-quality caramel sauce with 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, depending upon how salty you like it.
