Getting the smooth mouthfeel and melt-in-the-mouth texture you would expect from this creamy dessert depends on getting it to set properly – i.e. mastering the gelatine. Make sure all gelatine leaves are completely covered in water without sticking together, maybe using a shallow dish or tray with a flat bottom. When the leaves are soft enough to use, after about 10 minutes, squeeze them to remove any excess water before mixing with the cream. After adding it to the warm cream, stir until you are sure it is completely dissolved – otherwise you risk lumps in your dessert. Remember to never add gelatine to something that is still boiling as heating gelatine too much may diminish its setting properties considerably.
Panna cotta is a sweet and creamy popular Italian dessert. It is made from few, high-quality ingredients, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla, and set using gelatine. Though it is sometimes confused with the French crème brûlée or flan as they share core ingredients and may look similar, panna cotta is not a custard dessert as it does not contain any eggs but rather uses gelatine as a setting agent.
With our easy panna cotta recipe, you will have a delicious dessert ready in no time. Boil the cream mixture and whisk in soaked gelatine leaves, creating a smooth and creamy consistency. Place in glasses and leave to set in the refrigerator. Prepare the berry coulis and allow for this to cool as well. Serve your homemade dessert cold with berry coulis on top, garnished with lemon balm for a beautiful and elegant classic Italian treat.
Panna cotta freezes very well. Simply make sure it is covered with cling film to protect it from forming a tough crust or taking on flavor from other foods in the freezer. This way, the dessert will keep for about 2 months. When you are ready to enjoy the dessert, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Letting it defrost at room temperature may lead the cream to split.
The Italian classic usually sets in about 2-4 hours in the refrigerator. But leaving it in there for longer is not a bad idea. Though it might be tempting to speed up the process by attempting to let it set in the freezer, we do not recommend it. The much colder temperature of the freezer environment will make the outside of the dessert set more quickly than the inside, making the texture uneven, even after it thaws again.
It is possible to make panna cotta a few days in advance. It will keep for up to 7 days if you keep it covered in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture, though, serve it within the first 3 days of making it. Gelatine may get firmer as it sits, making the texture a bit more rubbery over time. Make sure to keep your dessert tightly wrapped to protect it from taking on flavor from other foods in your refrigerator.
Since it is a moulded dessert, Italian panna cotta is usually either served in a small serving glass or ramekin. Alternatively, it is unmoulded, that is, turned out onto a plate. It is often served with a coulis of berries, a sauce made from chocolate, caramel, or coffee, fresh fruit or berries. The cream dessert should be enjoyed cold so you can serve it straight from the refrigerator.
As it is, in essence, a simple cream dessert, you do not need many ingredients to be able to serve this Italian treat for your family or guests. It is a light and delicate dessert with a texture so smooth and creamy it almost seems to melt on your tongue. The fresh vanilla seeds add both a sweetness and depth of flavor to the cream dessert through its floral aroma. Leaving the vanilla pod itself in the cream while it cooks accentuates this beautiful flavor even further, highlighting why the vanilla flavor is a classic.
Making a homemade berry coulis to use as a topping for panna cotta is both quick and easy. Using a mix of berries like raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry works great as these slight tangy berries go well together. You can choose whatever berries you like, trying out different mixes or using just one flavor at a time. The flavors of berry coulis are sweet and vibrant, and it really brightens up the dish. Its color is a deep purply-red, depending on the berries you use, giving it a beautiful look on top of the creamy-white dessert. The combination of flavors as well as colors is sure to impress friends and family.
As it is a dessert that may be aromatised with a myriad of different flavorings, we have curated a selection of some of the lovely ways to change up the ingredients. Use our basic recipe and add mango, chocolate, or strawberry to shake things up and try something new with a classic recipe.
A mango panna cotta is a lovely fresh take on the classic. The sweetness of the cream and the fresh, tangy mango purée which is placed in the bottom of the dessert balance each other beautifully. Make your own purée from mango, orange juice, and sugar. Add lime leaves to the cream mixture as it cooks, to make this version of the cream dessert even brighter. Serve the mango panna cotta with finely chopped mango pieces, lime zest, and lemon balm.
Flavoring desserts with chocolate is a classic, and you can use it in this cream dessert too. Because it is a naturally sweet dessert, it can even handle a very dark chocolate with a rich, intense flavor. Adding finely chopped chocolate to the cream dessert changes the texture slightly by making it a bit fluffier and mousse-like. Serve the decadent brown chocolate panna cotta with a dollop of whipped cream and your flavorful berry coulis.
If chocolate panna cotta sounds right up your alley, you might also want to check out our recipes for chocolate pudding and chocolate mousse, savouring even more of the intense, bold chocolate flavor.
If you love sweet berries so much that using it for berry coulis is not enough, a strawberry panna cotta might be a hit for you. Adding puréed strawberries to the mixture works beautifully as the sweetness of the fresh strawberries and the warmth of the vanilla go well together. The strawberry purée will also give the dessert a beautiful light-pink color that may be accentuated using a bit of red food-coloring. Serve with green mint leaves on top.
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