Milk & Honey Jelly

I think it's important to share not only the good, but also the not so good - like these pretty Milk & Honey Jellies.

The recipe has been on my to make list for quite some time. We had a good friend over for a dinner and a long overdue visit, so I made these to serve as dessert.

While they weren't inedible, we didn't find them to be anything special - the flavors were just too delicate. It was suggested in the recipe to use a fairly strong flavored honey; my theory is that my farmer's market wildlflower honey was just not strong enough. Also, perhaps I did not allow the jellies enough time to come to room temperature - another point Ellie mentions. Doing so allows the jellies to soften, and serving them at room temperature doesn't dull the flavors as serving them cold, would.

I have a jar of cranberry blackberry honey that my mother in law presented me with on my birthday - it's more strongly flavored and darker in color...the lovely layered look of these jellies warrants another attempt!

Milk & Honey Jelly
Kitchen Wench
Serves 4

Vanilla Panna Cotta
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod, split with seeds scraped into milk
2 tablespoons honey

Honey Jelly
1 2/3 cups cold water
1/3 cup strongly flavored honey
3 teaspoons powdered gelatin

Pieces of honeycomb (either real or the candy) to decorate

To make the honey jelly, pour the water and honey into a pot, and sprinkle the gelatin over top. Leave to rest for 5 minutes to allow gelatin to absorb some of the water (helps to dissolve it faster and more evenly during cooking). Place over low heat and stir constantly until it comes to a boil and the gelatin is dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.

To make the panna cotta, combine the milk, cream, vanilla and honey in a pot and sprinkle the gelatin over top. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. Place pot over low heat and stir constantly until the gelatin is dissolved and the milk mixture is beginning to boil. Set aside to cool slightly.

Using 4 glasses (wine, water, cocktail - whatever you have on hand), use half of the honey mixture to pour into each glass. In the first pour, they should receive 1/8 of the mixture, each. Carefully transfer the glasses to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

**while the honey jelly and panna cotta should not set without being refrigerated, stir each mixture occasionally to prevent gelatin from settling and to avoid a skin forming**

Once the first layer of honey jelly is set, pull out the glasses and carefully pour 1/8th of the panna cotta mixture into each glass, on top of the honey jelly. Carefully place back in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to set. Repeat until you've used up all of the mixtures.

Allow jellies to come to room temperature before serving, and top with a piece of honeycomb or honeycomb candy to decorate.

Milk & Honey Jelly