Panna Cotta
Cream and vanilla warmed and lightly set with gelatin — Italy's no-bake dessert. Melt-in-the-mouth soft, it becomes an elegant finish topped with berries or caramel sauce, and needs nothing more than mixing and chilling.
Ingredients
- Heavy cream · about 500ml2 cups
- Milk · optional, lighter1 cup
- Sugar0.5 cup
- Vanilla bean · or 1 tsp vanilla extract1
- Gelatin sheets · or 2 tsp powdered gelatin3
- To serve (optional)
- Berries · strawberry, blueberry
- Caramel or fruit sauce
- Mint · to garnish
Steps
- ⏲ 5 min
Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes (bloom powdered gelatin in 2 tbsp water).
- ⏲ 5 min
Warm the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla (scraped seeds and pod) over low heat until steaming — do not boil.
- ⏲ 1 min
Off the heat, stir in the squeezed gelatin until fully dissolved, then remove the vanilla pod.
- ⏲ 2 min
Strain the mixture for smoothness and pour into cups or molds.
- ⏲ 240 min
Cool slightly, then chill at least 4 hours (overnight is best) until set.
Serve as is, or dip the mold briefly in warm water and turn out onto a plate. Top with berries or caramel sauce.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Coffee panna cotta: Add espresso while warming the cream.
- Chocolate panna cotta: Melt in dark chocolate.
- Yogurt panna cotta: Replace some cream with yogurt for tang.
- Berry sauce: Simmer frozen berries with sugar to spoon over.
Tips
- Don't boil the cream — just heat until steaming for a silky set.
- The gelatin amount controls the texture — too much is rubbery, too little won't set. Measure carefully.
- To unmold, dip the mold in warm water for a few seconds and invert.
- Strain once so there are no gelatin lumps.
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