IMBB #15: Creme cannelle

Cinnamon cream reversed on a plate.

When I first saw the topic for this month's IMBB, (Is My Blog Burning?) I wasn't sure I would be able to participate. The topic was "Has my Blog Jelled?" and was conceived by the imaginative Elise from Simply Recipes. (You can see her gorgeous write-up here.) I have to admit, I've always been scared of Jello, and, therefore, anything that jiggles. It may be because my cousin convinced me it was alive and would eat me when I was about five. Either way, I have never happily eaten Jello and was afraid I couldn't come up with something tasty and innocuous.

But then I started reading recipes using gelatin and found it's used for all sorts of cream-based desserts, such as Panna Cotta. I came up with this Cream, delicately flavored with Cinnamon and a little Vanilla Extract. It's somewhere between a Panna Cotta and the un-burnt part of a Creme Brulee. And the best part? It's exceedingly easy, once you figure out how to use sheets of gelatin, which, I admit, took me two attempts and some advice from Barbara of Winos and Foodies.

The only thing to watch out for with this recipe is that it really does need at least four hours and preferably overnight to set. So be sure to make it in the afternoon if you want it for dinner!

Creme Cannelle

Serves 4.

3 sheets Gelatin (6 grams)
1/2 liter Whole Milk
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cinnamon stick
4 tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Egg Yolks

Place the Milk, Vanilla Extract and Cinnamon Stick into a saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Soak Gelatin in a cup of cold water for 5-10 minutes.

Remove Gelatin from water and squeeze dry. Remove Milk mixture from flame and strain out Cinnamon Stick and any skin that may have formed. Stir in Gelatin until it dissolves. Whip together Egg Yolks and Brown Sugar, then add them to the Milk while still hot. Cool slightly.

Pour into 4 individual molds (I used ramekins) and chill for at least 4 hours.