Soy bean and Matcha Panna Cotta, sweet adzuki By Chef Donna

This dessert is Vegan and gluten free. Red beans is commonly used in Asia. In the Philippines, where I’m originally from, for our Halo Halo dessert and in Japan, used as a filling in sweet cakes . Both are representational based on my ethnicity and my great love of Japanese cuisine.

Chef Donna’s passion for culinary began at an early age. After culinary school, she began her culinary journey in Dubai where she worked in hotel fine dining alongside Chef Gordon Ramsay, Jason Atherton, and Angela Hartnett in Gordon’s first international venture, over the next five years before moving to Toronto where she had the opportunity to work for Chefs Anthony Walsh & O&B group; and Massimo Capra before joining Compass Group in 2016.

In 2019, As University of Toronto Mississauga’s Culinary Director, Donna became the recipient of Compass Group Canada’s Chef of the Year. Donna is a strong advocate of women in leadership, gender equity and BIPOC in the need to provide diverse role models for the future generation. She enjoys travelling with her daughter to experience and learn regional and local fares from across the globe integrating and innovating as much on her menu for her guests to experience.

In terms of her culinary odyssey, she has an unwavering  passion for Japanese and Italian cuisine, a rooted love for Spain due to her ethnic background, and constantly looks over Singapore’s food scene for inspiration and ideation. She believes that every dish has a story to tell, and it is in the chef’s hands to interpret by keeping the integrity of each ingredient and technique in every step of the way.

Ingredients:

  • Panna Cotta
  • coconut cream 400gms
  • soy milk 200gms
  • sugar, granulated 60gms
  • agar agar powder 6gms
  • matcha powder 15gms
  • Sweet adzuki
  • adzuki beans, cooked 250gms
  • sugar, granulated 60gms
  • water 60gms water

Method:

  1. Panna Cotta:

    In a saucepan, combine coconut cream, soy milk and sugar. Once it simmers, add the agar and constantly whisk for 2 mins over medium heat.

  2. Collect 1/4 of the mixture and dissolve the matcha powder. Set aside and keep warm to avoid the mixture to set fast.

  3. Pour warm mixture into molds and partially set. To create matcha streaks, pour a teaspoon of the green mixture unto the pre-set panna cotta and using a skewer to create swirls and marbling. Completely chill to set.

  4. Note: agar agar stes quickly over gelatine based mixture.

  5. Sweet Adzuki (Anko):

    Soak adzuki overnight. Next day, rinse and and boil in water 4x 9refreshing the water each time) to remove the tannin taste.

  6. Once beans are tender, about 1-2 hours. Drain and add sugar and water until sugar dissolves and you have a sweet and chunky paste. Cool and top over panna cotta.

See who’s putting #beansonthemenu