Vanilla Panna Cotta with Berries
Silky Italian cooked cream set with a little gelatin, flavored with vanilla and served with a fresh berry sauce. Make-ahead and elegant. Serves 6.
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Panna cotta means cooked cream, and this Piedmont dessert is one of the easiest elegant desserts there is: cream and milk sweetened, flavored with vanilla and set with just enough gelatin to hold a gentle wobble.
Make it the day before and serve it with a quick sauce of fresh berries.
Ingredients
Panna cotta
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Berry sauce
- 2 cups mixed berries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Bloom the gelatin. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let stand 5 minutes.
- Heat the cream. Heat the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean in a saucepan until steaming and the sugar dissolves. Do not boil.
- Set. Off the heat, stir in the gelatin until dissolved. Remove the vanilla bean (or stir in the extract) and pour into 6 small glasses or oiled ramekins.
- Chill. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, until set.
- Make the sauce and serve. Simmer the berries, sugar and lemon juice for 5 minutes, then cool. Serve the panna cotta in the glasses or unmolded, with the sauce spooned over.
Tips
- To unmold, dip each ramekin in hot water for 5 seconds and invert onto a plate.
- Too much gelatin makes it rubbery; it should just hold its shape.
Questions about this recipe
- How long does panna cotta keep?
- Covered, up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Can I make it with agar?
- Yes; use about 1 teaspoon agar powder, boiled with the milk for 2 minutes.
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