Sweat Tweaks: Panna Cotta Pumpkin Pie

This is not your every day pumpkin pie, nor is it the wheel reinvented. Just think of it as your grandmothers station wagon with chrome spinners for rims. 

I wanted to take on Serious Eat's Sweet Tweaks challenge to take pumpkin sponge cake beyond its retro days as a over stuffed jelly role and shine a new light on the under appreciated sponge cake. To be honest, I have never once made a sponge cake. From the onset, I thought I was constructing a meringue based sorbet (which I did do last weekend. You will very soon see!) with all the whipping and egg whites involved. I wanted to create something off the wall but still hold on the the essence of the the jelly role and the holiday season. Thus, the birth of the Panna Cotta Pumpkin pie. 

Creamy, spongy, pumpkin-y, and sexy all at the same time( well maybe not sexy), this new age pumpkin pie will give a whole new meaning to Thanksgiving dessert. I have been wanting to make panna cotta for a while, so this gave me the perfect excuse to dive in. 

I first baked the sponge cake in a half sheet pan and once cooled, cut out two circles the same diameter as my spring pan. One the panna cotta was infused with cinnamon and cooled about 1.5 to 2 hours, I poured the viscus mixture over the bottom layer of cake in my spring pan. Pouring the cream mixture in while it was still slightly runny allowed the cake to soak up the yummy cream, and made a kind of cold bread pudding in the finished product. Once completely set, about 4 hours, I put the top layer on top of the panna cotta and chilled over night. The next morning the entire pie was completely congealed. I removed it from the spring pan and inverted it on to the serving plate. (I flipped it over so the gooey, pie-like side was on top and the firmer cake I put on top served as the crust.)

From the picture you can see the beautiful cross section of firm cake crust, creamy cinnamon panna cotta, and the a hybrid of the two for the top later. Serve cold with a drizzle of carmel.

Panna Cotta Pumpkin Pie- 

For the sponge cake see Serious Eats here.  Bake cake in a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Allow to cool before removing from pan. 

For the Cinnamon Panna Cotta

- Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

1 package unflavored gelatin - about 1 tbs. 

2 tbs. cold water

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup half and half

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 stick cinnamon

In a small pan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let soften for about one minute. Heat the gelatin mixture over low heat until dissolved completely. 

In another pan, combine cream, half and half, sugar, and the cinnamon stick and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once at a boil, remove from heat, take out cinnamon, and pour in the dissolved gelatin. Stir to combine and let cool to room temperature. Allow to chill for 1.5 to 2 hours before assembly.

Assembly:

Cut two circles out of the sponge cake the same diameter as your spring pan. Layer the first round on the bottom of the pan and the pour the panna cotta mixture that has been chilled for 1.5 to 2 hours over the cake. The mixture should be rather viscus and think before pouring. 

Note: To help prevent leaks, place a sheet of saran wrap over the bottom disc of the pan before clamping the pan shut. 

Allow the pie to chill for 2 more hours before placing the second round of cake on top of the panna cotta. Chill over night.

When serving, invert the pie using a plate onto the desired serving dish. Serve with whipped cream and or carmel sauce.