This Panna Cotta is a result of a lot of experimentation and I am delighted with it - I was looking for a traditional thick and creamy panna cotta but I didn't want to use gelatine. There's nothing necessarily wrong with vegetable gelatine I just don't like cooking with it, and I was creating a desert for a Slow Food supper we were hosing at Organico Cafe which was focused on 3 locally written cookbooks including a Seaweed Cookery book (Sally McKenna's Extreme Greens) so it seemed essential that carrageen feature on the menu. So seven versions later, here it is! I hope you like it! - Rachel

(Makes approx 6 portions)

Ingredients:

700ml organic cream
400 ml milk
2 vanilla pods
5-6 tbs sugar
5g carrageen

Wash the carrageen under warm running water to remove the salt. Add all the ingredients (including only 5 tbs sugar) to a pan and bring to a simmer slowly on a low heat and cook for 20 minutes. You will know when the cream and milk start to thicken that it's ready. Test for sweetness adding the 6th tbs of sugar if you wish. Pour the mixture through a sieve, taking out the vanilla pods and splitting them lengthways down the middle to take the seeds out. Stir these back through the cream mixture. Pour into glasses or ramekins, cover with cling film and put in the fridge to set for 2 hours.

I like to serve this dessert with something to contrast the sweet creaminess like a passion fruit or cranberry and passion fruit coulis, and possibly a shortbread biscuit, though this is not essential!

Enjoy and have a wonderful Christmas.