BLACKBERRY BUTTERMILK PANNA COTTAS WITH BLACKBERRY COMPOTE

Blackberry Buttermilk Panna Cottas with Blackberry Compote image

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

For panna cottas
3/4 lb blackberries (about 3 cups)
1 1/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
2 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from two 1/4-oz envelopes)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons blackberry syrup, store-bought or homemade (see cooks' note, below)
For compote
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup crème de cassis
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 lb blackberries (about 2 cups)
Special Equipment
6 (6-oz) molds (preferably nonreactive)

Steps:

Make panna cottas:
Purée blackberries with buttermilk in a blender until very smooth, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids.
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften.
While gelatin softens, heat cream and sugar in a saucepan over moderate heat until hot, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved. Stir cream mixture and syrup into blackberry purée, then pour through cleaned sieve into a bowl. Pour mixture into molds and chill, covered, until firm, at least 8 hours.
Make compote while panna cottas finish chilling:
Boil water, crème de cassis, and sugar in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, then pour syrup over blackberries and gently stir to combine.
To serve panna cottas, run a thin knife along edge of molds to loosen if necessary and dip molds in a small bowl of warm water 3 to 5 seconds, then invert panna cottas onto plates and gently lift off molds. Spoon berries and syrup over and around each panna cotta.