I tasted a version of this dessert, the sbrisolona with panna cotta and red berries on a cool Sunday afternoon strolling through Bologna with my daughter. I was captivated, the contrast between the soft panna cotta and the crunchiness of the sbrisolona is simply perfect. I promised myself to prepare it when I returned home and last week the perfect opportunity arose to serve it during the snack organized for the visit of two dear friends, Chiara and Stefania.
The recipe is a bit elaborate, but don’t worry, it’s not difficult. There are various preparations to make in advance, but the final result is truly worth the effort.
These little desserts have nothing to envy to those made by pastry shops.
Let’s prepare some other delicious sweets:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the sbrisolona with panna cotta
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup almonds (unpeeled)
- 1 packet vanillin
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter
- 3 1/2 tbsp lard
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 sheets gelatin
- mixed berries (for garnish)
- meringues
Tools
- 1 Muffin Pan
- Silicone Mold
Preparation of the sbrisolona with panna cotta
Chop the almonds coarsely using a small herb chopper, or if you prefer, use a large knife. I use the herb chopper because I prefer the almonds in small pieces, but not as fine as flour.
Place the flours, chopped almonds, 3/4 of the sugar, the vanillin, the egg yolk, butter, and lard cut into pieces in a bowl. Mix quickly with your fingertips, just as you would for making shortcrust pastry, obtaining a crumbly mixture. Place a small amount of crumbs at the bottom of a muffin pan to create small discs about half an inch thick. Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing the small sbrisolonas from the pan. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, start preparing the panna cotta. Soften the gelatin in cold water.
Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the sugar, and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and add the squeezed gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour the cream mixture into a half-sphere silicone mold, I used the Semisfera by Pavonidea, perfect for this type of preparation. Let the panna cotta cool completely and place in the freezer for at least 24 hours, so the panna cotta will have a perfect shape. Don’t worry because in a few minutes it will be perfect to be enjoyed.A little before serving the dessert, you must assemble it. Place the mini sbrisolona on the serving plate, top with a half-sphere of panna cotta, and garnish with red berries and mini meringues.
Follow me on social media
my Facebook Page my Instagram Profile my Pinterest Page
