Panna Cotta
Ingredients
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- 1 cups whole milk
- 2 1/4 tsp powdered unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 each vanilla bean – split and seeds scraped
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- mixed berries – for serving
Instructions
1. Pour 0.5 cup of the whole milk into a small bowl and sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over the surface. Let stand until fully bloomed and spongy, 5–10 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, remaining 0.5 cup milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean (pod and seeds), and fine sea salt. Heat over medium until steaming with small bubbles forming at the edges, 3–5 minutes; do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 10 minutes for full vanilla flavor.
3. Remove the vanilla pod. Whisk in the bloomed gelatin mixture until completely dissolved, 1–2 minutes. If needed, return to low heat briefly, stirring, until no grains remain; do not let it simmer. Strain the mixture into a large measuring cup with a spout.
4. Rinse six 6-ounce ramekins with cold water and shake out the excess (this helps with unmolding). Divide the panna cotta mixture evenly among the ramekins. Let cool at room temperature 10–15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until set, 4–6 hours, until the centers quiver when gently jiggled.
5. To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge, dip the bottoms of the ramekins in hot water for 5–10 seconds, and invert onto plates. Serve cold with mixed berries (for serving).
Panna cotta is a softly set, silky dessert of sweetened dairy scented most often with vanilla. Its texture is delicate and wobbly—firm enough to hold a shape when unmolded, yet meltingly creamy on the tongue. Lightly sweet and clean in flavor, it pairs beautifully with bright fruit, tangy coulis, or a drizzle of caramel to balance its richness.
Originating in northern Italy, particularly associated with Piedmont, panna cotta translates to “cooked cream.” Early 20th-century references describe gently heating cream and sugar before setting with gelatin, a technique that distinguished it from custards thickened with eggs. Over time it spread throughout Italy and beyond, welcoming regional garnishes like berry sauces, chocolate, or coffee while keeping its essential identity as cooked, barely set cream.