This is one of the easiest and favorite desserts at my home. It is unbelievably easy and makes exactly restaurant like jiggly dessert. This is a great base or master recipe and can be served in a variety of ways and flavor combinations.
What is Panna Cotta made of?
This is a fairly simple dessert with 5 ingredients. It is a no bake no freeze versatile dessert that can be made in 10 minutes.
Whipping cream – Dairy unsweetened whipping cream with at least 32% fat content
Full fat milk
Sugar or Honey
Vanilla bean – you can use vanilla essence or powder but the best results can be obtained from bean
Gelatin – the setting agent, you can use agar agar which is a vegetarian alternative but I have not tried it personally
Step by step
Dissolve gelatin in water but pouring water over gelatin and whisk briefly so gelatin doesn’t clumps. Leave for 5 minutes to bloom.
Heat cream, milk, vanilla bean and its scraped seeds along with sugar/honey till sugar dissolves and you can see small bubbles on the sides of the pan.
Remove from heat and add gelatin. Stir until dissolves. If it remains undissolved, heat briefly make sure not to boil.
Pour in desired serving dishes or small cups.
Chill for 4-6 hours until completely set.
FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Where do I start? You can serve this basic vanilla panna cotta in a variety of ways.
First you can serve it in a large shallow dish with condiment of choice.
You can serve it in a small stem glasses. Or set them in small ramekins and invert them on a platter.
My favorite way is to serve with a berry compote and some crunchy crumbled cookies or granola. The texture and flavors match really well.
I have also served it with Dalgona (whipped up instant coffee) and pistachios. Another winner.
Chocolate ganache, or sauce , mango pureed, crunchy nuts, the possibilities are endless.
Substitutions and Variations
You can substitute sugar with honey.
You can substitute vanilla bean with good quality vanilla essence or extract.
You can substitute gelatin with agar agar.
Storage and Make Ahead
This dessert can be made ahead a day. It should be kept loosely covered in fridge and the toppings should be done when serving.
Recipe
Yield: 4-6
Vanilla Panna Cotta
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Additional Time
4 hours
Total Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Whipping Cream*
- 1/2 cup Milk, full fat
- 1/3 cup Sugar, white granulated
- 1 Vanilla Bean **
- 1 tablespoon Gelatin, unflavored
- 3 tablespoons Water, room temperature
Instructions
- Split the vanilla bean with a paring knife from the middle and using the back of the knife scrape the seeds.
- Place the whipping cream, milk, sugar and vanilla seeds and the bean in a heavy bottom sauce pan.
- Dissolve gelatin in water by whisking lightly and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
- Heat the cream mixture on a low heat till bubble starts to appear on the sides and sugar has dissolved.
- Remove the bean.
- Add the gelatin mass and stir to dissolve.
- Slightly reheat if gelatin doesn dissolve completly.
- You can microwave the gelatin mass for 5-7 seconds and then add to the cream mixture.
- Prepare the serving dishes or if you are planning to invert, lightly grease the molds. You can use any glass or aluminum or stainless steel molds or bowls.
- Pour the prepared mixture into the dishes.
- Chill in refrigerator for 4-6 hours.
- Un-mold if serving that way.
Notes
* It can be labelled as heavy cream or double cream in some countries, it should have 32 % of fat at least
** You can use vanilla essence or extract or paste of good quality
Recipe Name
Vanilla Panna Cotta
Author Name
Nadia
Published On
Preparation Time
Cook Time
Total Time
