Italy · Dessert · Easy
Panna Cotta
Rome's most famous pasta. Silky egg and Pecorino sauce clinging to every strand, studded with crisp guanciale. No cream, ever.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Panna Cotta, in 5 ideas
- Never boil the cream. A boil damages the gelatin's setting power and dulls the fresh dairy flavor. Steam and dissolved sugar is enough.
- Strain always. Even careful stirring leaves tiny undissolved specks. The sieve is 10 seconds of insurance for a flawless texture.
- Infuse the vanilla. Let the split bean steep in the warm cream 20 minutes before heating for deeper flavor. Fish it out before adding gelatin.
- Coffee panna cotta is a classic variation. Replace 1/2 cup of the milk with strong espresso. Serve with cocoa nibs.
- Make them two days ahead. They hold perfectly in the fridge. Unmold just before serving for a stress-free dinner party dessert.
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin (1 packet)
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Berry coulis or caramel, for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl. Let it bloom 5 to 10 minutes until spongy.
- Warm the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla seeds, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and steam rises. Do not boil.
- Take off the heat. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until completely dissolved, about 1 minute.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a pouring jug. This catches any undissolved bits and the vanilla pod fibers.
- Divide among six ramekins or glasses. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours until set.
- To unmold, dip each ramekin in hot water 5 seconds, run a thin knife around the edge, and invert onto a plate. Or serve in the glass, which is perfectly fine.
- Top with berry coulis or caramel just before serving.
Less gelatin than you think. The classic mistake is too much, which makes it bouncy. It should barely hold its shape and wobble when nudged.