Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

Strawberries! Aren't they lovely? It was just too hard to resist when there are fresh and fragrant strawberries on sale.Without thinking twice, I just grabbed a box and decided that this shall be my project this weekend :)  And hence... prepared this dessert specially for my dear friend who visited on Sunday, one of my favourite Italian desserts!

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients: (makes 5 small cups)
2 tsp gelatine powder
3 tbsp water
450ml fresh milk
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Directions:
1. Add gelatine powder to water, stir to dissolve the powder.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat over low heat, stir till sugar dissolves and tiny bubbles appear around the edge of the pot.
3. Remove from heat and add in the gelatine mixture, stir until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Pour mixture into small cups, leave to cool till room temperature and refridgerate for at least 3 hours.
5. Serve with strawberry sauce and fresh strawberries.

For the strawberry sauce:
1. Dice 7-8 strawberries, add around 60ml of water and add sugar depending on the sweetness of the strawberries. (I added 1.5tbsp)
2. Boil the mixture over low heat till strawberries soften,.
3. Remove from heat, mash the strawberries with a fork and stir till mixture becomes thick. Set aside and serve when the panna cotta is ready.