Birgitte’s Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Crunchy Oats & Strawberries

First, soak the gelatine leaves in plenty of cold water to soften.

Meanwhile, pour the cream into a saucepan. Scrape out the vanilla pod/bean and put the whole pod/bean, plus seeds, into the pan. Add the sugar and lemon zest, then gently bring just to the boil over a medium heat while stirring to dissolve the sugar

Remove from the heat and sieve/strain to remove the vanilla and zest. Bring the cream back to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat again, squeeze out the gelatine leaves and whisk gently into the cream until dissolved. Finally, whisk in the buttermilk and the lemon juice until combined.

Pour the panna cotta mixture into 4–6 small serving glasses. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours – or preferably overnight – until set.

To make the oat crumble, put all the ingredients into a frying pan/ skillet and stir continuously for about 5 minutes over a medium heat as the sugar and butter melt – you are aiming for a golden-coloured mixture. The caramelization process happens quickly, so take care not to leave the pan alone or it may burn and taste bitter.

Before serving, cut the strawberries into quarters, leaving the green leaves on some for decoration. Sprinkle the set panna cotta with the almond and oat crumble and top with the fresh strawberries to serve.