Go-to party desserts

Vanilla Crème Brûlée

2 cups milk

1 cup cream

1 cup sugar

5 grams agar agar (china grass)

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 tbsp cornflour

6 tsp sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Mix cornflour with ¼ cup of milk until there are no lumps.

In a pan add the cornflour mixture and the remaining milk, cream, sugar and agar agar.

Heat on medium heat until the agar agar dissolves. Do not allow it to boil.

Remove from heat and strain the mixture. Add vanilla and mix well.

Pour the mixture into six ramekins.

Fill a deep baking tray one-third with water.

Place the ramekins inside the tray.

Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. The top will start browning.

Remove from oven and allow them to cool.

Cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Sprinkle the top with sugar and use a kitchen blowtorch to melt the sugar into a solid, brittle crust.

Alternatively, you can sprinkle sugar on the top and place the ramekins under the grill for a minute or two. Keep a close eye on them as they will burn easily.

Serve immediately.

250ml cream

250ml milk

3-4 tbsp sugar

2 tsp instant coffee powder

1 tbsp gelatin

For The Sauce:

25gm chocolate

50ml cream

1 tsp instant coffee powder

In a pan add milk and sprinkle gelatin on top.

Allow it to bloom for 10 minutes.

Gently heat the milk, never bringing it to the boil.

Remove from the heat and let the gelatin melt on residual heat. Do not bring milk to the boil at any stage and don't keep it on simmer unattended. Keep stirring the mixture.

The gelatin will dissolve in the hot milk.

Add sugar, coffee powder and cream to the hot milk and place it on medium heat.

Once the mix is hot and all the ingredients are dissolved completely, remove it from heat.

Lightly grease the moulds and keep them ready.

Pour the mixture through a sieve into the moulds.

Allow it to come to room temperature.

Cover them with foil and refrigerate them overnight.

Heat cream and pour it on chopped chocolate.

Add coffee powder and whisk until the sauce is smooth.

Remove the set panna cotta from fridge, place it in a warm water bath for a minute or two.

Gently run a knife around the top of the pannacotta to release it from the mould.

Flip it onto a serving plate and remove the mould.

Pour the sauce around the panna cotta and serve immediately.