Classic Italian Panna Cotta

About This Recipe

Panna cotta — 'cooked cream' in Italian — is the most elegant dessert in the world achieved with the least effort. It requires no baking, no temperature precision, no pastry skills. Five ingredients, 15 minutes of active work, and refrigeration time deliver a dessert so silky, so perfectly textured, so pure-tasting that it appears on the menus of three-Michelin-star restaurants alongside home dinner tables across Italy. Originating in Piedmont in northern Italy — where the dairy herds of the Po Valley produce exceptional cream — panna cotta is a showcase for the quality of the cream itself. The gelatine must be used in the right amount: too little and the cream won't set; too much and it becomes rubbery and bouncy rather than barely-trembling and sensually soft. The goal is a panna cotta that holds its shape when turned out but dissolves the moment it touches the tongue. Vanilla is the classic flavour, but the technique invites experimentation: coffee, honey, lemon, pistachio, matcha. The berry coulis — fresh berries briefly cooked with sugar and lemon — provides the acidic counterpoint that the rich cream needs. Alternatively, a warm caramel sauce or a simple drizzle of balsamic glaze over fresh strawberries transforms panna cotta into something even more special.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 600 mldouble cream (heavy cream)(at least 35% fat)
• 3 sheetsleaf gelatine(or 1½ tsp powdered gelatine)
• 60 gcaster sugar
• 1 tspvanilla extract(or 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped)
• 100 mlwhole milk
• 200 gfresh or frozen berries(for coulis)
• 2 tbspicing sugar(for coulis)
• 1 tsplemon juice(for coulis)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the gelatine

   Submerge gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes until softened and floppy. If using powdered gelatine, sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of cold water and let stand for 5 minutes.

   Cold water is essential for blooming gelatine. Hot water dissolves it prematurely.

2. 2

   Heat the cream

   Combine cream, milk, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring just to a simmer — small bubbles around the edges. Do not boil.

3. 3

   Dissolve the gelatine

   Remove cream from heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine leaves and add to the hot cream. Stir until completely dissolved, about 1 minute. If using powdered gelatine, add the bloomed mixture and stir to dissolve.

4. 4

   Pour into moulds

   Lightly oil 6 ramekins or glasses with a neutral oil. Strain the cream mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, then pour into the prepared moulds. Let cool to room temperature.

   Straining removes any undissolved gelatine and any vanilla pod skin, ensuring a perfectly smooth result.

5. 5

   Refrigerate

   Cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until set but still trembling slightly when gently shaken.

6. 6

   Make berry coulis

   Combine berries, icing sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring and crushing the berries. Strain through a fine sieve for a smooth coulis, or leave unstrained for a rustic sauce. Cool completely.

7. 7

   Turn out and serve

   To serve in ramekins: spoon coulis directly over the top. To turn out: run a thin knife around the edge, place a plate on top, invert and give a gentle shake. Serve with berry coulis.

Variations

• •

  Coffee panna cotta: dissolve 2 tsp instant espresso powder in the warm cream.

• •

  Honey panna cotta: replace sugar with 3 tablespoons of runny honey for a more complex, floral sweetness.

• •

  Buttermilk panna cotta: replace 200ml cream with buttermilk for a slightly tangy, lighter version.

Storage

Panna cotta keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. Cover with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Do not freeze — gelatine-set desserts weep liquid when thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions