Litchi Pannacotta With Mango Jelly

Litchi Pannacotta
Adapted from The Culinary Chronicles

Ingredients Serves 4

1 20oz can lychees [substitute with pitted fresh litchis]
3/4 tbsp unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp sugar [adjust to taste]

Mango Jelly
1 cup fresh mango puree  [substitute with store bought]
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp sugar [adjust to taste]
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
a pinch of cardamom powder [optional]
3/4 tbsp unflavored powdered gelatin
1/4 cup water

Making the Litchi Pannacotta:

In a small bowl, pour the water and sprinkle gelatin over it.Let the gelatin bloom for about 5 minutes.
Meawhile,tip in the canned litchis in a blender or a food processor along with syrup and crush them.
Drain the crushed litchis through a sieve once.
In a sauce pan, add the milk, sugar and drained litchis and let warm on low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Do not let the mix boil,it should be warm but not hot.
Remove from heat and add the bloomed gelatin to the pan.Mix well.
You can whisk gently to ensure that everything has combined well.
Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and then pour into your serving bowls/glasses.Refrigerate and let set for 3 hours.

Making the Mango Jelly :

In a small bowl, pour the 1/4 cup water and sprinkle gelatin over it.Let the gelatin bloom for about 5 minutes.
Mix mango puree with 1/2 cup water , lemon juice, cardamom powder and 3 tbsp sugar and warm slightly (about 3-5 minutes] in a sauce pan over low heat.
Again do not let boil.Mix in the bloomed gelatin and combine well.
Let stand to cool off for about 10-12 minutes and add on top of the set litchi pannacotta.Let set for another 3 hours.
Add subsequent layers of pannacotta & jelly and keep on chilling.
Garnish with nuts or fresh fruit, mint and serve chilled.

How to create the swirls:
While you transfer the glasses to chill in the refrigerator, tilt the glasses/bowls.
I usually use my cupcake pan to do this wherein I stuff little paper towels at the base of cases and rest the stem- tilted on them.
Using a cupcake pan makes the handling easier when making a lot of servings but then there are lots of way of doing it.Devise your own.

Notes: It is important to add subsequent layers only after the bottom layers have set.
The swirl you see in pictures took me half a day to set in and adding layers.You can do whichever way you like.Keep it simple or make a pattern.

Variations:I think litchi goes very well with papaya as well.I intend to add those layers next time I make it.