FoodieAtlas
Recipes around the World
Panna cotta's entire virtue is restraint: cream, sugar, vanilla, gelatin—nothing else in a well-made version. The name means 'cooked cream,' though the cream is barely cooked, just warmed enough to dissolve the sugar and bloom the gelatin before being poured into molds. It comes from Piedmont in northern Italy, where dairy cattle produce the cream, and the dessert first appeared in recipes in the 20th century, though similar cream-set desserts are older. The test of a good panna cotta is the wobble when you unmold it: it should tremble like barely set jello, not stand rigid. Raspberry coulis, caramel, or bitter orange sauce are the common accompaniments, but a plain panna cotta with only a pour of cold cream alongside it reveals whether the base itself has been made correctly.
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it sit for about 5 minutes to bloom.
In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot but not boiling.
Remove the saucepan from heat and add the bloomed gelatin to the hot cream mixture.
Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the mixture into ramekins or dessert cups.
Let them cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set.
To unmold the Panna Cotta, dip the bottoms of the ramekins in hot water for a few seconds and then invert them onto serving plates.
Piedmontese set cream dessert; gelatin-set, not baked. The quality test is the wobble on unmolding—it should tremble, not stand rigid.
Piedmont, northern Italy. Formal recipes appear in the 20th century, but the tradition of cream-set desserts is older.
Heavy cream, sugar, vanilla (bean or paste), unflavored gelatin. Toppings are optional.
Use just enough gelatin to set (barely)—too much and it becomes rubbery. Unmold after at least 4 hours in the fridge.
Raspberry coulis, caramel sauce, fresh berries, or simply cold cream poured alongside.