Panna Cotta Recipe – Cooking Classy

rich and creamy panna cotta! is an easy dessert to make that is undeniably delicious. especially when enhanced with a fresh, tempting, vibrant and gorgeously red raspberry sauce!

all about panna cotta

what is panna cotta anyway?

panna cotta is a popular cold Italian dessert made from cream (and often milk) that is sweetened with sugar, flavored with vanilla, and gelatin used to thicken and hold its shape.

panna cotta in Italian translates as “cooked cream”.

This dessert can be served directly from the glasses in which it is chilled or it can be unmolded and inverted on dessert plates.

for me it’s reminiscent of ice cream and jello. although it is the best update you could imagine to traditional gelatin because cream makes everything better.

plus, it has a more welcome texture, more like melt-in-your-mouth than Jell-O.

panna cotta can also be made with other flavor variations. other popular flavors include chocolate, mango, coconut, coffee, and lemon panna cotta.

This is a must-try treat that’s perfectly refreshing on a hot summer’s eve. and, of course, it is a dessert that people of all ages will love.

panna cotta recipe ingredients

You only need 7 basic ingredients!

• 3 tablespoons of cold water
• 4 tsp (12 g) gelatin
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract



how to make panna cotta

1. blooming gelatin: Pour water into a bowl, add the gelatin all at once and mix immediately. let stand for at least 5 minutes.
2. Make an ice bath: Fill a large bowl with a few cups of ice and enough cold water to fill half the bowl.
3. Simmer dairy, sugar, and salt: Meanwhile, in large saucepan, simmer heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt, stirring gently. frequently to dissolve sugar, remove from heat.
4. melt gelatin, pour into dairy mixture: then immediately microwave gelatin mixture for 10 seconds to melt mixture to a liquid form, then immediately pour into mixture of cream and beat for 30 seconds.
5. Chill in Ice Bath: Place saucepan over ice bath and stir with spoon until cool to touch. add the vanilla.
6. Pour into individual cups: Divide mixture among 8 (6 oz.) ramekins (or use wine glasses/dessert cups), adding a little more than 1/2 cup to each .
7. Chill until set: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.



how to unmold and serve

1. You can serve panna cotta straight from the cups, or to unmold, run a thin, sharp knife around the inside edge of the pan, then dip the pan into very hot water for about 5-10 seconds (make sure not to let the water flow over!).
2. then, using your fingertip, gently pull the panna cotta from the inner edges to help loosen it from the sides, then invert it onto a dessert plate and tap it to help unmold.
3. Top with a berry sauce if desired. other delicious toppings would be cranberry sauce, mango sauce, or strawberry sauce.

useful tips for the best panna cotta

• I found that my preferred gelatin to dairy ratio (for prep purposes) was 1 teaspoon per cup. just enough to hold it together, but not so much that it’s stiff and rubbery.
• don’t skip the blooming jelly. It must first be soaked in water to ensure the gelatin dissolves evenly for the best final texture.
• Do not overheat the gelatin (especially for a long period of time) or its setting strength will be weakened. That’s why we add it here after simmering the mixture.
• Be sure to plan ahead and allow enough time for the panna cotta to fully set in the fridge so it’s not runny.
• avoid chilling in the freezer to speed up setting. will not configure correctly. Also note that panna cotta should never be frozen, even after it sets.
• increase the flavor by finishing with a sauce or even fresh fruit.
• keep refrigerated and always serve cold for best texture.



more refreshing desserts to try

• chocolate mousse
• chocolate pudding
• creme brulee
• custards
• vanilla ice cream