Recipe of the Week: Zobo Panna Cotta with Candied Citrus

If you are home alone this weekend, you might as well have a little fun in the kitchen.

It is the perfect opportunity to try something you probably would not make for the whole family, experiment with an unfamiliar ingredient, or combine two flavours that have no obvious business being on the same plate.

That was the thinking behind this week’s recipe.

I recently stumbled across Google Food Mood, an AI experiment that lets you mix culinary influences from different countries and generate a recipe from the combination. I decided to see what would happen if I paired Nigeria and Italy and asked for a dessert for one.

The answer was Zobo Panna Cotta with Candied Citrus.

At first, it sounds like an odd pairing. Zobo is deeply familiar to Nigerians, usually enjoyed as a chilled, tart hibiscus drink. Panna cotta is an Italian dessert made with cream, sugar and gelatin, known for its creamy texture.

But perhaps the two have more in common than you might expect.

Zobo brings acidity and a floral sharpness that can cut through the richness of the cream. Orange adds another layer of brightness, while candied orange peel provides a little sweetness and texture.

The result is neither a traditional Nigerian dessert nor a classic Italian panna cotta. It is a small culinary experiment that happens to fit perfectly into a weekend when you are cooking for one.

Ingredients

150ml heavy cream

20g granulated sugar

2g powdered gelatin

15ml cold water

50ml strong zobo (hibiscus) infusion

1 thin strip of orange peel

10g candied orange peel, finely diced

Serves: 1

Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes, plus at least 4 hours to set

Directions

Bloom the gelatin

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl. Leave it for about five minutes until it softens.

Warm the cream

Combine the cream, sugar and orange peel in a small saucepan. Warm gently over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the cream is hot, but do not let it boil.

Add the zobo

Remove the orange peel and stir the zobo infusion into the warm cream.

Add the gelatin

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the softened gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.

Strain

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small ramekin or serving glass. Allow it to cool to room temperature.

Chill

Refrigerate for at least four hours, or until the panna cotta has completely set.

Garnish and serve

Just before serving, scatter the diced candied orange peel over the top.

Pro tips

For a deeper zobo flavor, let the hibiscus steep longer.

Ensure the gelatin is fully dissolved to avoid a grainy texture.

When candying citrus, ensure the pith (the white, spongy layer underneath the zest) is removed to prevent bitterness.

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