Panna Cotta with Roasted Rhubarb (AIP & Paleo)

I love all produce seasons, but there is something extra special about rhubarb season. Anytime I see rhubarb for sale, I feel like I’ve found a treasure! I’ve been especially thrilled to find local rhubarb at the farmer’s market, and I dream of someday having my own rhubarb patch.

In previous years, I’ve made rhubarb sauce to pair with pork, strawberry rhubarb crumbles, strawberry rhubarb compote, rhubarb cake, and a rhubarb galette, which are all super delicious. But this year, I decided to experiment even further by roasting the rhubarb. I also branched out from my usual flavor parings of rhubarb with strawberry, and pared it with orange and vanilla.

When it comes to something to serve the roasted rhubarb on, I have returned to a favorite: coconut milk panna cotta. I’ve adapted my stand-by panna cotta recipe just slightly, adding a little more gelatin since this is an unmolded version, and sweetening it with orange blossom honey.

So simple to make, very minimal added sweetener, and a good serving of gelatin. But, if panna cotta isn’t your jam, I’ve also served leftover roasted rhubarb on cupcakes and I also suspect it would be fantastic on pancakes or waffles.

One final note: I don’t believe this recipe would work well with frozen rhubarb—I’m fairly certain that freezing the rhubarb would cause it to break down too much to retain it’s shape. But, if you don’t mind if the rhubarb turns more sauce-y, feel free to try frozen rhubarb.

Coconut Milk Panna Cotta 
yields 4 to 6 servings, depending on molds/vessel size

1-13.5 oz can of coconut milk (I use smaller cartons & weigh out 13.5 oz)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
21 g (1 tablespoon) honey (I used orange blossom honey)
10 g (1 heaping tablespoon) gelatin

1. In a saucepan whisk together the coconut milk, vanilla, and honey. Carefully sprinkle the gelatin over the surface & mix gently. Allow to bloom for 10 minutes. 

2. Heat the saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the gelatin melts & there are no lumps--do not boil! 

3. Portion into small bowls/glasses or molds (I used a silicone muffin pan in these images). Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (or overnight). 

Roasted Rhubarb
8 oz fresh rhubarb stalks
63 g (3 tablespoons) honey (I used orange blossom honey)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. Cut the rhubarb stalks on an angle into 1" to 2" pieces. Place the cut pieces into an 8x8 baking dish. 
3. Drizzle the honey over the rhubarb & sprinkle with the vanilla powder and orange zest. Add the orange juice. 
4. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Stir the rhubarb & roast an additional 10 minutes or until the rhubarb has softened, but is not falling apart. Cool to room temperature before serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. The tart flavor of the rhubarb will continue to mellow the longer it sits in the fridge. 

To serve 

1. Unmold the panna cotta, if desired—I ran a small offset spatula around the custards before gently popping them out of the silicone muffin pan I used as a mold—and plate. 
2. Top with a few pieces of rhubarb & a generous spoon full of the rhubarb liquid. 
3. Serve immediately. 

Note: 

• The rhubarb will remain pretty tart, even with the 63 g (3 tablespoons) of honey. If serving this recipe to non-AIP/Paleo people, you may way to up the sweetener by a tablespoon or two in both the roasted rhubarb and in the panna cotta.  

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Cranberry Orange Jam & GF Baked Brie

Giving gifts is something I love to do, especially during the Christmas season. While I’m not opposed to buying gifts, there’s something extra special about handmaking things.

Jam (or other preserves) is always one of my go-to gift ideas because 1) it is easy to make multiple jars at a time, and 2) the jam has a shelf life of a year (or more) if processed correctly so that the lids seal, and thus the recipient can wait to open the jar, if they so desire.

This year, I’ve made a couple batches of Cranberry Orange Jam with Pecans that I’ll be giving to many of my family members and friends.  Sorry, family and friends, for the spoiler alert!  I made a version of this jam (minus the orange component) last year, but all the jars in my single batch sold out almost instantly! I didn’t even have enough left to give any as gifts.  So, this year’s remedy was to make more than one batch & not to sell any at all :)

A couple jars didn’t seal properly during the waterbath processing stage, so instead I had to refrigerate them & we’ve been enjoying them instead, not that that’s been too difficult a task!  I love eating jam on toast or english muffins or croissants, etc. but I sometimes forget that not everyone is as in to baked goods as I am.  Some people don’t know what exactly to do with a jar of jam because they have a hard time thinking outside the toast and/or pb&j box.  

One of the beauties of this particular jam is how versatile it is.  On the sweeter side, jam could be stirred into plain yogurt to create your own custom flavor, or even in to oatmeal. it could be sandwiched between two butter cookies. Warm jam could be spooned over ice cream... or pancakes... or waffles! .  Really, the possibilities are endless.

This jam is sweet, but it wonderfully compliments savory ingredients as well.  It could be served with turkey or pork. It would make a great condiment on a sandwich. And don't even get me started on paring it with cheese!

Case in point, baked brie.  Often baked brie is wrapped in puffed pastry before it is baked, but for this much more simple (and naturally gluten free) option, I simply topped a round of triple creme goat brie with a few spoonfuls of jam before baking it to oozy cheesy perfection.  The finished brie was served with some gluten free crackers, though honestly, it was difficult to not just eat the jammy cheese with a spoon!

So, if you’re still searching for gift options, consider making a batch of preserves of some sort.  And, tying a small Cinnamon Applesauce Ornament is a great way to dress up any jars for gift giving.

Cranberry Orange Jam with Pecans 
Adapted from Kraft Recipes
yields 6 half pint jars, plus a little extra for the fridge

1 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
1 c (8 fl oz) Orange Juice, 
1/2 c (4 fl oz) Water
zest of half an orange
45.5 oz (6 1/2 c) Granulated Sugar 
1 c Chopped Pecans
1 pouch Certo liquid pectin 

1. Fill a large stock pot with water & bring to a simmer.  Add a splash of white vinegar to the water if the water is hard. Wash 6 half pint jars, along with rings and new lids. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. 
2. In a second large stock pot, bring the cranberries, orange juice and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 
3. Infuse the sugar with the orange zest.  Add the infused sugar and nuts to the prepared heat. Increase the heat to high heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the pectin, return to the stove & boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. 
4. Remove the pot from the heat and skim off any foam that may have developed.  Increase the heat under the first water-filled stock pot to high. 
5. Portion the jam into prepared jars, leaving 1/8” headroom. Run a knife around the edges of the jam to remove any potential air pockets. Add a little additional jam to the jar, if necessary. Wipe the rim & threads of the jars. Cover with the lids& screw on the rings until they are finger tight. 
6. Lower the jars into the boiling water & cover the pot. Process the jars for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes before removing the jars.  Let the jars cool completely. If after cooling any jars have not sealed, store those in the refrigerator. The sealed jars will keep at room temperature for 1 year.

Note: If you’re completely new to canning, Food In Jars has some great resources!  

Gluten Free Baked Brie with Cranberry Orange Jam 

adapted from The Kitchn 

1 round of brie cheese--I used a triple creme goat brie that was 6.5 oz in size

Cranberry Orange Pecan Jam 

Additional Pecans (optional)

Fresh herbs to garnish--I used Rosemary 

Crackers for serving-- I used ones like these.

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 F. 
2. Cut off the top of the brie & scoop out a bit of the center. 
3. Place the cheese onto a piece of parchment paper and onto a baking dish. 
4. Top the cheese with several spoonfuls of jam & extra pecans, if desired. Place into the oven.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is softened, but has not completely collapsed.  
6. Remove from the oven & use the parchment paper to lift the cheese onto a serving platter. Garnish with a sprig of herbs & serve with crackers. 

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Peach Surprise with Grandma Vein

“What’s the surprise?” asked my husband when I told him about my plans to make “Peach Surprise” with my Grandma Vein while we were back in North Dakota.  “I really don’t know.” I told him. And that’s the truth! I just know “peach surprise” is one of my absolute favorite summer-time desserts. 

After very suddenly losing my other grandma last year and since my sisters and I all live in different parts of the US, my motivation during trips back to North Dakota changed.  My number one focus has become spending as much time with family as possible. Grandparents are not alive forever. (really none of us are.) And we never know which visit will be our last.

Last month, we took a trip back to North Dakota/Minnesota to visit my family. We were fortunate to spend a few days in my hometown, followed by a few days at my family’s lake cabin in Minnesota.

My husband had to go back to work in Texas, but I stayed longer to spend some additional time in my hometown & to help my youngest sister move to Chicago.

One of the things I most wanted to do while in ND was to make something with my Grandma Vein. She’s a fabulous baker and cook! Last summer, we made a peach pie together, but this summer, I knew we needed to make “peach surprise.”

The recipe for “peach surprise” is straight out of an old lutheran church cookbook.  The pages where the good recipes are located are stained from years of use. Grandma has written her own notes & variations throughout the cookbook too.

Grandma’s favorite peaches are the elberta variety.  Every year, she patiently waits for them & buys them in mass quantities.  Grandma told me this year that she even called the store to reserve a whole lug of them (i.e. a little less than a bushel), fearing the store may run out before she could get any.

All those peaches get turned into delicious peach desserts, or sliced & eaten on their own with perhaps a splash of heavy cream.  Grandma also gives many of the peaches away to her sons so that their families may enjoy eating them.

One of the great things about “peach surprise” is that it is a no-bake dessert--just a graham cracker crust with peaches & a marshmallow/whipped cream filling.  But, since I can’t eat regular store bought graham crackers, we did have to turn on the oven to bake a batch of gluten free graham crackers first.

Grandma had suggested maybe we should make a gluten free cereal-based crust, using something like rice krispies, but I convinced her that gluten free graham crackers are rather fast and easy to make yourself. Honestly, I also just could not bear to change a classic too much!

While the gluten free graham crackers baked and later while the dessert was chilling in the refrigerator, Grandma and I had some good visiting time. She showed me all her latest photo albums & told me all the family news I’ve been missing. She has a hard time hearing voices over the phone, so our phone chats have been a bit difficult lately.  It was lovely to actually talk in person.

Though peach surprise is an easy dessert to make, I feel so fortunate and blessed to actually make it with Grandma. There are so many things she makes that my whole family loves to eat, but most of us don’t have those precious “memory food” recipes.

Even with my culinary school education, I treasure the times Grandma and I spend in the kitchen where she teaches me her tricks & techniques for making things.  I am actively trying to make sure that I document as many of her recipes, including the methods she uses that aren’t written in the recipes.

When I returned to Texas and told my husband and friends about my experiences making “peach surprise” with Grandma, they requested to try the dessert for themselves.  So for our Labor Day cookout yesterday, I made a pan of "peach surprise". It was the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer and a sweet finale to the evening.

Peach Surprise
yields approximately 12 servings

6 oz / 170 g / 4 cups Mini Marshmallows
4.95 oz / 139 g / 1/2 c Orange Juice

10 oz / 280 g /2 c Graham Cracker Crumbs {I used Gluten Free} 
2.45 oz / 69 g / 1/3 c Confectioner’s Sugar
4 oz / 112 g / 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

5 large ripe peaches {Grandma would suggest Elberta peaches}
16 oz / 448 g / 1 pint heavy cream

1.  In a double boiler, melt the marshmallows with the orange juice. Stir often. Remove from the heat to cool while the crust is made. 
2. To make the crust: crush the graham crackers (if they aren’t crushed already) using either a food processor or a ziptop bag with a rolling pin.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the crumbs with the confectioners sugar.  Add the melted butter and mix until all the crumbs are moistened by the butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13” pan. Chill in the refrigerator while the filling is made.  
3. To make the filling: Peel, and slice (and chop, if you like) 5 large peaches. Whip the cream to medium stiff peaks either by hand, or on high speed with a hand mixer, or on high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Once the cream is whipped, fold it together with the previously made & slightly cooled marshmallow/orange juice mixture. Fold in the peaches.  
4. To assemble: Spoon dollops of the filling over the prepared crust.  Smooth out the top surface of the filling. Cover the pan & refrigerate for 4 hours. 
5. When ready to serve, cut the dessert into 12 pieces.  The dessert will keep for several days well covered in the refrigerator (if it isn’t entirely eaten immediately). 

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Almost Instant Sangria

Most of the time, I’m the sort of person who likes to have all her ducks in a row.  Likes to have everything planned out (and possibly with back ups, just in case the first doesn’t go as planned).  I don’t like many surprises (thought if you want to surprise me with fresh flowers, I’ll never complain!).

But there’s something about summer time & spontaneity.

The past couple of weekends, we’ve had somewhat spur-of-the-moment get togethers with friends. Dinners. Brunch. Pool time.  It’s been wonderful!

Sometimes it is refreshing to not have concrete plans, (or rather to not obsess over the details).

Many summer recipes are suitable to spontaneous entertaining. Others may require a some additional forethought.  Traditional sangria requires fruit to be macerated for hours before serving. This recipe for sangria is different--it’s one you can make almost instantly! And it only requires two ingredients, plus ice.  Garnish is optional (though I do love a good garnish).

Chilled red wine is mixed with cold blood orange soda.  Ice is added.  Optional orange slices are used for garnish.  And voila! Almost instant sangria.

Want a little more “kick” to your sangria?  Add a little orange liqueur.  Prefer a little less alcohol? Use more soda.  Love the macerated fruit aspect of sangria? Add the fruit to the wine & let it sit as long as your schedule allows before adding the soda.  Need only one glass? Or a whole pitcher? It’s easy to scale the recipe to be for one or a crowd.

Just because summer plans can be spontaneous, it does not mean those impromptu gatherings (or even just a regular day) cannot include sangria!  Cheers!

Almost Instant Sangria
adjust ratio to taste... Most of the time, I don’t even measure--I just eyeball it!  If you want the sangia to have more “kick” add some additional orange liqueur.  

Single Serving 
1/2 c (4 fl oz) chilled Red Wine {I used a cheap-ish Malbec} 
3/4 c (6 fl oz) chilled Blood Orange Soda {I used San Pellegrino Blood Orange Soda} 
Ice
Orange Slices (optional)  

1. In a glass, stir together the wine & soda.  
2. Add ice & optional orange slices. 
3. Enjoy immediately.  

For a Pitcher
1 bottle Chilled Red Wine
4 2/3 c (37.5 fl oz) Blood Orange Soda {a little more than 3 cans of San Pellegrino) 

This post contains affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after an Amazon link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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