Whisky Focus - Chocolate and Seaweed Pannacotta with Bowmore Butter Shortbread

River Cottage’s chief forager John Wright and head chef Gill Meller have created a series of delicious recipes perfectly matched to Bowmore Islay’s first Single Malt.

This is one for those with a sweet tooth. Delicious Bowmore shortbread made with a touch of Bowmore 15 Darkest single malt whisky.

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 25g dried or 80g fresh Carragheen.
• 200ml milk.
• 50g caster sugar.
• 75g good quality dark chocolate.
• 200ml double cream.

Method

• If you’re using dried Carragheen soak it in cold water for 20mins.
   
• Pour 600ml water into a saucepan, add the Carragheen and bring to the boil.
   
• Lower the heat and simmer gently for 20–25mins, stirring occasionally.
   
• Pour the milk into another pan along with the sugar and the chocolate - heat slowly until the chocolate has melted and the liquid is just about to boil.
   
• Spoon the hot sticky and strangely aromatic mess from the Carragheen pan into a double layer of muslin. Don some rubber gloves – you will need them badly. Gather up the muslin and hold it over the chocolaty milk. Squeeze tightly to extract the setting agent from the Carragheen until it is reluctant to drip further, whisk all the time. Whisk in the cream and pour into darioles or cups. Refrigerate until set.

For The Shortbread

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 100g icing sugar.
• 2tbls Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’.
• 225g plain flour, preferably Italian 00.
• 75g cornflour.
• 200g soft unsalted butter.
• Caster sugar for sprinkling.
• Pinch of salt.

Method

• Place the soft butter in a large mixing bowl.
   
• Add the whisky and using a wooden spoon beat until light and well incorporated.
   
• Sieve in the icing sugar, cornflour and plain flour
  Bring the mixture together into smooth dough, but don’t over work it.
   
• Spread the mixture out over a suitably sized non-stick baking sheet, pressing down with your hands to level it out.
   
• Bake at 160° for 15-20mins until light and golden.

• About Bowmore River Cottage Whisky Recipes
   
• Bowmore Dry Cured Oak and Peat-Smoked Sirloin and Crispy Gutweed
   
• Pine-Fired Mussels with Spear-Leaved Orache
   
• Wood-Roasted Lobster and Scallops with Wild Sorrel Sauce
   
• Sea Lettuce, Clam, Potato and Oyster Rostis
   
• Chocolate and Seaweed Pannacotta with Bowmore Butter Shortbread
   
• Chocolate and Bowmore-Soaked Prune Fondant

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Whisky Focus