Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Panna Cotta
A silky, trembling 'cooked cream' dessert from Piedmont. Elegantly simple, flavored with real vanilla bean, and served with a vibrant berry coulis.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 255 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- heavy cream (high fat)
- whole milk
- granulated sugar
- vanilla bean (split and scraped) or pure vanilla extract
- unflavored gelatin powder
- cold water
- fresh berries (for coulis)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Ramekins or molds
Instructions
- 1
Bloom Gelatin
Sprinkle the gelatin powder evenly over the cold water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to 'bloom' (it will absorb the water and become solid).
- 2
Heat Cream
In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and the scraped seeds and pod of the vanilla bean.
- 3
Simmer
Heat gently over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring it just to a bare simmer (do NOT let it boil). Remove from heat.
- 4
Infuse
Let the cream mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow the vanilla flavor to infuse deeply. Discard the vanilla pod.
- 5
Dissolve Gelatin
Add the bloomed gelatin to the hot cream mixture. Stir constantly until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
- 6
Strain (Optional)
For the smoothest texture, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pouring jug.
- 7
Mold
Lightly oil the inside of 4 ramekins or molds with a neutral oil (like grapeseed). Pour the cream mixture evenly into the molds.
- 8
Chill
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until completely set and jiggly.
- 9
Make Coulis
While chilling, blend fresh berries with a little sugar and lemon juice, then strain to remove seeds.
- 10
Unmold and Serve
To unmold, dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot water for 3 seconds, run a knife around the edge, and invert onto a plate. Serve with the berry coulis.
Cooking Tips
- The perfect panna cotta should 'wobble' gently when nudged. Too much gelatin makes it rubbery; too little makes it a puddle.
- Using a real vanilla bean makes a massive difference in flavor and appearance compared to extract.
Variations
- Espresso Panna Cotta: Infuse the cream with whole coffee beans instead of vanilla.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A relatively modern Italian dessert, likely invented in the early 20th century in the dairy-rich Piedmont region.
Nutrition Estimate
410 calories · 4g protein · 22g carbs · 35g fat · 0g fiber per serving
