Panna cotta is how they call cooked cream in Italy, where this dessert is originally from. It is really quite easy to make and the ingredients involved are common and simple.
And with a bit of creativity, you can turn this plain dessert into a culinary work of art. Add fresh fruits or top with jam, serve them in nice glasses, layer with different colors, the sky is your limit.
If you are looking for an easy to make Valentine's Day dessert, then this creamy, melt-in-your-mouth Panna Cotta is the perfect one for you.
You can use muffin molds if you do not have dessert rings. Or if you happen to have an empty tube from chips (Pringles) then you can cut it into 5 parts and you have your disposable dessert rings.
You may also use buttermilk substitute if buttermilk is not available but then skip the lemon rind.
Printable Recipe
Easy Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 3 cups buttermilk (see below for substitute)
- 1 cup all-purpose cream - or heavy cream
- 2 packs gelatin
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon shredded lemon rind
- 1 cup strawberries - sliced thinly
Instructions
- Dissolve gelatin in 5 Tbsp water and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine cream, sugar and lemon rind. Place saucepan on low heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Once it starts to simmer, add the gelatin and stir for another minute or until all traces of gelatin are gone.
- Add the buttermilk and vanilla then remove the pan from heat.
- <span></span>While the panna cotta is cooling down,prepare the rings. Cover the bottom part of the ring with a plastic wrap and place a rubber band around the ring on top of the plastic wrap to keep it in place. This makes sure that the liquid mixture will not seep out of the rings while they set.
- Line slices of strawberries on the inner walls of the rings. Place the rings on a flat tray.
- Once the mixture has cooled completely, pour it slowly onto the rings, filling a third of each rings. Place the tray in the fridge (or freezer) so it could set faster about 3-5 minutes. This is to make sure that the strawberry slices are in place and will not float in the surface once you fill the rest of the rings with the mixture.
- Once all rings are filled place them again in the fridge/ freezer and let it set. Remove them from the rings by running a warm knife along the sides. Serve chilled.
Notes
For the red sauce on top:
½ cup cherry syrup (liquid from bottled cherries)
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoon water.
Place cherry syrup in a small saucepan and bring to simmer. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir continuously until it thickens and color darken,
Nutrition
For those asking where to get the dessert rings, I found something very similar to what I am using at Amazon:
Sharyn says
How far ahead can this be made? Thanks. Looks wonderful.
Bebs says
You can make it a day ahead Sharyn...
Gerlinde says
Your panna cotta looks delicious.
Bebs says
Thanks, Gerlinde, this is my Valentine Panna Cotta but suits all other occasions too! 😉
Myrla Sales says
Hi Bebs,
This recipe of the panna cotta sounds and looks delicious. Thanks for sharing.
I was just wondering if you could inform how many grams of gelatine powder you use inthis recipe because here in Australia we buy gelatine powder in cans of 50g instead of packs and I am not sure how many grams your pack has.
Thanks a lot in advance.
Bebs says
Hi Myrla, the one I used has 9 grams in a pack that says it should be enough for 500 ml of liquids. So 18 grams for this recipe. 🙂