Riverina Cheese

Riverina Cheese Ricotta Panna Cotta with Caramelised Oranges

Place the ricotta and ½ cup milk into a bowl and whisk briskly until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Place the cream and sugar into a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean with the flat side of a small knife and add them to the pan with the bean. Place the mixture over medium heat and bring it just to boiling point, whisking occasionally. While you are doing this, place the gelatine sheets into a bowl of cold water to soften them.

When the cream mixture has scalded, turn off the heat. Remove the gelatine from the water and gently squeeze away excess water. Add the gelatine to the cream mixture, whisking thoroughly to dissolve it. Whisk in the remaining ½ cup milk.

Slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the ricotta, whisking constantly until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the vanilla bean. You can strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any lumps if you want. Divide the panna cotta among 6 dessert glasses and refrigerate until set (about 4 hours).

Before serving, spoon 1 or 2 tablespoons of caramelised oranges over the top.

• 3 oranges
• ½ cup sugar
• 50 ml water
• 1 tablespoon honey or treacle
• 1 teaspoon edible lavender
• ¼ vanilla pod

Zest the oranges in long strips (julienned) and, using a sharp knife, cut them into segments. Squeeze the juice out of the remaining pulp. Blanche the zest, and refresh with cold water, 3 times. Caramelise the sugar and water with the vanilla pod. Once a caramel has formed, add the zest, juice, water, treacle and lavender. Pour over the orange segments.