Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta with Mint Jelly

I think I'm getting addicted to panna cottas. This dish is so easy to make. I still have a bunch of Meyer lemons from my garden and my herb box is already full of mint. As I was pulling the weeds out while gardening, it occurred to me that I could make a Meyer lemon panna cotta with a mint jelly. 

My husband loved it.  The lemon and mint go suprisingly well together, and the contrast in textures between the jelly and panna cotta brings another dimension to the dessert.

Kaju Pista Rolls (Indian Cashew and Pistachio Sweets)

Kaju pista rolls are Indian sweets that are very similar to marzipan. It's almost like edible Play-Doh. Kaju and pista respectfully means cashew nuts and pistachio in Hindi. I guess there is a similarity with French, we called cashews, noix de cajou. I'm just thinking out loud.

Anyways, these cylinderical shaped mithai (Hindi for sweets) look very playful and are absolutely delicious. I find many Indian desserts too sweet for my palate, but these treats are just perfect.  I can never eat just one, and if you make this recipe, you won't be able to either.

Rose Panna Cotta with Grenadine Syrup and Crunchy French Pralines

Panna cotta is a very easy recipe. It is as versatile as crème brulée or pot de crème. The base is just a dairy with a gelling agent like agar or gelatin. You can create your own signature version by adding your own twist to it. You can use different flavors like rose, strawberry, pandan, peppermint, mocha or any other savory flavor that you can imagine. It is a true culinary chameleon.  

Egg-free Banana Mousse

Most mousse recipes call for eggs, but my poor little 9-year-old sister-in-law is deathly allergic to them. I've come up with an egg-free mousse that has a slightly denser texture, but otherwise will satisfy your cravings. 

Bananas are in season so I decided to make an eggless banana mousse. I love bananas because they have no fat, cholesterol or sodium. Fruits, however, add more water content to a mousse than chocolate does, so you need to counteract that with another ingredient.  I used a sweet mascarpone base with the pureed bananas. If you are making an eggless chocolate mousse, there is no need to add the mascarpone cheese.

Mina's Pistachio Almond Cardamom Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)

If you've been to an Indian buffet, you've probably had some kheer. This kheer is a regular rice pudding made with Indian spices. Cardamom, almond and pistachio are common flavorings in Indian desserts. It was flavored at the end with kewra water. You can also add a touch of saffron water to give a yellow color to the dessert as well.

Every culture that uses rice as a starch has some form of rice pudding. In France, it's called le riz au lait. In Vietnam, it's chè đậu trắng, a black eyed pea sticky rice pudding. And of course, there is good old American rice pudding, usually topped with nutmeg, mace and cinnamon.

Mina is Lulu's cousin. We had a potluck going on this weekend and she brought desserts. And as a food blog addict, I had to post it.