This Raspberry and Rhubarb Panna Cotta made with fresh tofu is a perfect treat for those with a sweet tooth that want to eat quite healthy.
Indulgent, sweet and tangy this creamy tofu based dessert is the best way to end a delicious vegan meal with.
Fairly easy and quick to make it will for sure conquer yours and your guests palate.
How to make this Raspberry and Rhubarb Panna Cotta
Making this glass dessert is quite easy and straightforward, however you would need to keep in mind a couple of tips in order to nailing it to perfection.
- Tofu must be the fresh type (the one that you would normally find in a plastic box completely submerged with water that we used for these Grilled Aubergine Roll Ups) and ideally firm.
Alternatively you can also use silken tofu and add a touch more of the gelling agent (agar agar powder). - You have to work fairly quickly as the agar agar tends to set quite immediately after being heated up.
This scrumptious plant based desserts basically consists of two elements: a tofu panna cotta (the white, creamy layer) and a homemade quick jam made with fresh raspberries and rhubarb.
If you only have frozen raspberries those will be fine as well.
For the tofu panna cotta all we need to do is to blend smooth all the ingredients (tofu doesn't need pressing, just make sure to squeeze out the extra moisture) and gently heat while stirring on a stove.
Now this is the bit you have to be quick for. Once heated, the mixture will tend to set pretty easily due to the agar agar contained in it.
As soon as the mixture starts bubbling, turn the heat off and promptly pour into your serving glasses.
Why do we need to heat the mixture?
Heat is essential to activate the agar agar.
To form the gel, in fact, the agar agar powder needs to be warmed to a minimum of 70 degrees Celsius (around 160° Fahrenheit).
Heating the mixture for less will result in a rather grainy and not firm unset panna cotta. So this is an important step that cannot be absolutely skipped.
Next up the rhubarb and raspberry jam.
Making this sweet and tangy jam really cannot be any easier.
What you have to do is to pop everything in a pan, heat it up and wait for the magic to happen. The mixture will soon start to bubble, the sugars will begin to caramelize and as a result they will thicken up everything. After a couple of minutes or so, simply grab a fork and press the fruits to release all the juices, give a little stir and cook out until it becomes slightly sticky.
I like to keep it rustic, and I simply mash it with a fork. However, if you like some extra "finesse" you can also blend it smooth and even decide to remove the seeds by pressing the jam with the back of a spoon through a sieve.
However you decide your jam to be, simply scoop the desired amount on top of the panna cotta or in between two layers of it, then pop everything in the fridge to set before serving.
If you would like to recreate the effect shown in the pictures of this post, I'd highly recommend you to divide the tofu mixture after being blended and cook it in two times, one for each layer of the dessert. You can also decide to make more layers and divide the mixture accordingly.
To set it diagonally, simply secure the serving glass to an angle with some handy items of your choice and carefully scoop the tofu mixture into the glass while still hot. Keep the glass in place whilst chilling the panna cotta to set.
Repeat for the raspberry & rhubarb layer: keep the glass at an angle and spread 1-2 tea spoons of jam. Carefully place in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.
The second layer of tofu and the final jam one can be both poured with the glass standing back vertically.
Allow the vegan panna cotta to chill for at least one hour before serving it.
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Raspberry and Rhubarb Panna Cotta Recipe
Ingredients:
...for the tofu panna cotta...
300 g Fresh Tofu
150 g sugar
100 g Soy Milk (or any Plant Milk)
½ Lime Juice (or Lemon)
5 g Agar Agar (½ tbsp)
5 g Vanilla Extract (1 tsp)
...for the raspberry and rhubarb jam...
150 g Rhubarb
100 g Raspberry
100 g Sugar
½ Lime Juice (or Lemon)
1 drop Vanilla Extract (optional)
Method:
1. For the tofu panna cotta. Add all the ingredients to a food processor bowl and blend until smooth and silky.
2. Transfer to a pan, turn the heat on medium/low and gently heat up the mixture until it starts to bubbles, stirring all the time.
3. Pour the tofu panna cotta in heat proof glasses and pop into the fridge to set.
4. For the raspberry and rhubarb jam. Cut the rhubarb stalk into bites, and add with the rest of the ingredients to a pan.
5. Turn on the heat and cook fruits for 5-7 minutes or until they are soft. Break and stir with a fork for a rustic effect or blend smooth and/or filter the seeds through a sieve if preferred.
6. Top the tofu panna cotta with some jam and fresh berries or mint leaves, and store in the fridge for at least one hour before serving.
If you'd like to make the half glass effect as per the pictures of this recipe I suggest to cook the tofu mixture in two times, half the mixture per time as once heated agar agar tends to set very quickly. Gently scoop the amount needed to fill roughly half of your glass while it is at an angle. Arrange a few items around so the glass stays in place for the time required for the panna cotta to set and carefully place in the fridge for at least half an hour (or in the freezer for 10-15 minutes if you want to speed the process up) before pouring the jam layer and the other tofu mixture. After the mixture has set, scoop the jam on top of the tofu layer while keeping the glass at an angle, then place in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
Top with the remaining panna cotta and with a final layer of jam. Finish with some fresh raspberries and mint leaves. Keep in the fridge for at least another hour before serving the raspberry and rhubarb panna cotta.
For other recipes using tofu do not miss:
- Vegan Chinese Style Dumplings
- Marinated Tofu Puff Skewers
- No Fuss Tofu Katsu Curry
- Easy Tofu Parmesan
- Smoked Tofu and Pistacchio Lasagna Rolls
- Thai Green Curry with Crispy Sesame Tofu
- Tofu Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Pineapple Tofu with Veggies
- Tofu Makhani
- Chinese Style Deep Fried Tofu Puffs
You can't get enough of vegan desserts? Check these other recipes:
- Decadent Vegan Banoffee Pie
- Super Easy Vegan Perfect Tiramisù
– Deliciously Moist Rhubarb Sponge
– Heart shaped Mini Cakes
– Carrot Cake with a Twist
– Fudgy Chocolate & Sweet Potato Cake Loaf
– Indulgent Chocolate & Raspberry Mousse
Nicky
Silken or firm tofu?
Adriana Z.
Fresh tofu is similar in texture to silken tofu, so if you cannot find the fresh type, definitely substitute it with silken.
Emma Beal
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