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Italian Vanilla Panna Cotta

A barely set, silky vanilla cream from Piedmont, finished with a bright berry sauce

Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Total
4 hr 20 min
Yield
6 servings
Level
Easy
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The story

Panna cotta means cooked cream, and it comes from Piedmont, the region in northwest Italy famous for its rich dairy, truffles and hazelnuts. The dessert is linked to the Langhe hills, and a local legend says a Hungarian woman living there created it in the early twentieth century. As with many traditional dishes, its true origin is hard to pin down. Simple set creams have been made in Italian farmhouses for a very long time.

Panna cotta was not widely known outside Piedmont until the second half of the twentieth century. It then became popular in Italian restaurants around the world from the 1990s. Piedmont lists it among its official traditional food products, and there it is often served with caramel, berries or bitter chocolate.

Good panna cotta is set with just enough gelatin to hold its shape and still wobble on the plate, and it tastes of cream and vanilla. Use the best cream and a real vanilla bean if you can. Kids can help whisk and fill the ramekins and choose the toppings.

Tips for success

  • Don't boil the cream after adding the gelatin. High heat weakens its setting power.
  • For a firmer panna cotta you can unmold easily, use 9 g (1 tbsp) gelatin. For a softer one served in glasses, use 6 g.
  • Swap the raspberry sauce for caramel, fresh berries or a drizzle of aged balsamic for a Piedmontese touch.
  • Panna cotta keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Italian Vanilla Panna Cotta

An authentic Italian panna cotta recipe from Piedmont: silky, barely set vanilla bean cream with a fresh raspberry sauce. No baking, five simple ingredients and easy to make ahead.

Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Total
4 hr 20 min
Yield
6 servings
Calories
~390/serving

Ingredients

For the panna cotta

For the raspberry sauce

Instructions

Bloom the gelatin

  1. Put the cold water in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top and leave it for 5 minutes to soften.

Make the cream

  1. Heat the cream, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla seeds and pod in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture steams. Don't let it boil.
  2. Take the pan off the heat, add the softened gelatin and stir until completely dissolved, about 1 minute.
  3. Remove the vanilla pod and strain the mixture into a jug. Let it cool for 10 minutes, stirring now and then so the vanilla seeds stay suspended.

Set

  1. Divide the cream among six 4- to 5-ounce (120 to 150 ml) ramekins, glasses or lightly oiled molds.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until set but still wobbly.

Make the sauce

  1. Simmer the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice for 5 minutes, until the berries collapse. Press through a sieve to remove the seeds and chill.

Serve

  1. Serve in the glasses, or dip each mold in hot water for 5 seconds, run a thin knife around the edge and turn out onto plates. Spoon the raspberry sauce over the top.

Tools we use

Recipe from Miss Confection · https://missconfection.com/recipe/italian-vanilla-panna-cotta

Questions, answered

Why is my panna cotta rubbery?

There is too much gelatin. Use just enough to set the cream so it still wobbles, and measure the gelatin carefully.

How long does panna cotta take to set?

At least 4 hours in the fridge, and overnight is best for unmolding cleanly.

Can I make panna cotta without gelatin?

Yes. Agar agar is a plant-based option. Use about 1 tsp agar powder for this amount and boil it with the cream for 2 minutes. It gives a slightly firmer set.

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