Vanilla cream cheese panna cotta w/raspberry sauce

Ingredients

• 1 small carton fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons Orange Liqueur
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 package knox gelatin

You may like

Vanilla pecan and caramel tart

Preparation

• In a saucepan add raspberries, liqueur and sugar. On medium high heat stir and mash berries as the mixture comes to a boil. Immediately turn down to low heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In another saucepan over medium heat, add cream and half and half and sprinkle the gelatin over and let soak for 15 minutes or so.
• Turn heat up and add sugar, split vanilla bean with seeds scraped (add the husk also) and stir until gelatin is incorporated.
• Add cream cheese and continue to stir until it comes to a boil. (Note: on the cream cheese, although the cream cheese melted there were still small "chunks" of it use a hand blender to smooth out the consistency. If you don't have a hand blender, you may want to microwave the cream cheese for a minute or so before adding to the cream and sugar and vanilla mixture).
• Turn heat off and let "steep for 10 minutes or so. Remove vanilla bean husks.
• In dishes of your choice spoon in a inch or so raspberry mixture. Then slowly add panna cotta so as to layer it.
• Chill for 2 hours before serving. A bit of whipped cream topping is excellent.