Panna cotta is a rich Italian silky custard which can be enjoyed all the time. This simple panna cotta preparation involves using heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla essence or vanilla pod and tiny quantity of gelatin for that silky feel of the desert. To prepare panna cotta, warm cream in a saucepan, swollen unflavored gelatin and pour into molds.
The berry sponge cake must be chilled and then unmolded and you have a delicious dessert if you pour fresh berry sauce on top. It is perfect for dessert, easy making yet very classy and over the top delicious too.
What is Panna Cotta?
Panna cotta is an Italian dish, a custard, which is obtained by combining heavy cream, sugar, and gelatin. It has a creamy consistency and the kind that when chewed, they literally dissolve in the mouth which every hostess would love to have in her kitchen for serving guests.
In comparison with the crème brûlée, panna cotta is not prepared by baking, so it is one of the simplest Italian dishes you can cook. Simplicity joined with elegance make panna cotta the perfect dish for home makers and they don’t have to spend a lot of time preparing in order to impress their guests.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this easy panna cotta recipe, you’ll need only a few basic ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 packet powdered gelatin or one 1/4 teaspoon of gelatin sheets
1/3 cup sugar
Main course accompaniments – new berries or sauce for sprinkling
Optional: For those who are watching their calorie intake you can use half and half instead of heavy cream and a lesser amount of the whole milk.
Making panna cotta is easy and the following are the procedures:
It is time that we learn how to make panna cotta by following the guide below. The preparation process is almost simple and that helps the dessert turning out to be creamy at all times.
Bloom the Gelatin:
Begin with blooding the gelatin. If you are using powdered gelatin then sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water and allow it to soften for about 5 minutes. That is, if you are using gelatin sheets, then you need to soften it in cool water for about 5 minutes and then drain it.
Heat the Cream:
Add the heavy cream and sugar into a saucepan. Cook the mixture over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved stirring occasionally. Some of the dough must not break or the cooking process will boil the mixture which changes the texture.
Dissolve the Gelatin:
Then, when the cream mixture in hot, and the sugar dissolved it should be removed from the heat. Include the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the nice aroma. Next, stir in the bloomed gelatin mixing it until the gelatin is well dissolved in the mixture.
Strain the Mixture:
To enhance more smoothness you can pass the mixture through fine mesh sieve in order to exclude all undissolved gelatin or particles of the vanilla bean.
Pour into Molds:
Pour into the moulds, glasses, cups, ramekins or whatever you wish your panna cotta to be shaped like. You can also pour the whole lot into a large dish if this is your preference. This is a very versatile gelatin-based desert because panna cotta can be prepared and set in any kind of dishes.
Refrigerate:
Allow the panna cotta to come to room temperature, you then chill the panna cotta for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight. This just lets the gelatin to set hence providing the panna cotta with its normal wobbly texture.
How To Serve Panna Cotta
Once the panna cotta is set, you have two serving options: serving it by unmolding it onto a dessert plate or serving the molds directly. If you want to get it out of the mould, pier it with a small blade round the perimeter of the mould and then flip it over onto a plate. Although, the panna cotta, can be served within the ramekin if you want a more casual kind of presentation.
Finally, garnish the vanilla panna cotta with fresh berries, berry sauce or even a chocolate ganache. The choice is vast, it means that you can really make the dessert according to what you like.
This is a brief guide to making the best Panna Cotta.
Don’t let the mixture boil: When heating the cream mixture, ensure that the mixture does not reach to the point of boiling. This can make a difference in terms of texture of the panna cotta and flavors making the panna cotta less smooth.
Use the right amount of gelatin: If one uses too much gelatin, then the panna cotta will be quite hard; on the other hand, if one uses little gelatin, then the panna cotta will not set. If you fancy your panna cotta less firm, use a bit less of gelatin.
Strain the mixture: Make sure that the panna cotta mixture is smooth by straining this through a fine mesh sieve each time. This will catch any particles of gelatin that did not dissolve in the mix or parts of the vanilla bean.
Perfect make-ahead dessert: Making panna cotta is another great advantage because it has to be served cold and it must be made a few hours in advance and allowed to set in the refrigerator. It can also be prepared up to two days in advance and therefore ideal for dinner parties or any other occasions.
Variations to Try
Still, vanilla panna cotta is said to be the most common although you are free to try out different variations. You may want to gear up the flavor with espresso powder for coffee flavoured panna cotta or increase the indulgence by mixing melted chocolate into the mixture. It is also possible to replace part of the cream with fruit purees such as mango or strawberry, for instance.
One of the changes made in Mille Crescendo was replacing gelatin with agar agar which makes the panna cotta vegetarian. Elaborating the quantities of agar agar with gelatin it is best to remember that agar agar sets much more firmly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What if no gelatin is used in the preparation of panna cotta?
Of course you can but it is important to note that the properties of the products made with the two may differ slightly especially in terms of texture. This is a vegetarian one but you have to know that this addition will make the dessert firmer.
2. When is panna cotta ready?
Panna cotta is ready when its surface is set, but when you shake the mold gently, the mixture will shakes little. The concrete it should be able to maintain its shape when it is pulled out of the mold.
3. What are the appropriate toppings for panna cotta?
Fruits such as berries or the berry compotes, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce or even a honey to sprinkle on the panna cotta give the best complement.
Conclusion
Panna cotta is among Italian meals whereby elimination of many additional components leads to a delicious and delightful dish. As surprising as it might sound, it is easy to prepare such a dessert and it will look and taste fantastic, so it is good for any celebration.
Use it as a base for fresh fruits or dress it up with creamy sauces, this awesome panna cotta recipe is guaranteed to turn the heat. This is such a simple recipe yet it is one of the most often prepared in my household and everybody eats it to the last piece!