Italian · Free recipe
Panna Cotta
A silky, wobbly set cream scented with vanilla and topped with bright berry sauce. This make-ahead Italian dessert is astonishingly simple yet feels luxurious.
Step 1
Pour the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it swells and looks wrinkled; this is called blooming and helps it dissolve smoothly.
Step 2
Pour the cream and milk into a medium saucepan and add the sugar. If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise with a knife, scrape out the seeds, and add both seeds and pod to the pan.
Step 3
Set the pan over medium heat and warm it, stirring, for about 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and small bubbles form at the edges. Do not let it boil, which can make it grainy.
Step 4
Turn off the heat. Add the bloomed gelatin to the hot cream and whisk for about 1 minute until it fully dissolves with no visible bits.
Step 5
If you used a vanilla bean, remove and discard the pod. If using extract instead, stir it in now.
Step 6
Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so a skin does not form.
Step 7
Divide the cream evenly among 6 ramekins or glasses, filling each most of the way.
Step 8
Refrigerate uncovered for about 30 minutes, then cover each with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours, or until fully set and jiggly like soft jelly.
Step 9
Make the berry sauce. Put the berries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Step 10
Cook for about 6 minutes, gently mashing some berries with a spoon, until the fruit breaks down into a loose, glossy sauce. Let it cool completely.
Step 11
To serve, either spoon the berry sauce over each panna cotta in its glass, or dip a ramekin briefly in warm water and invert it onto a plate to unmold, then spoon sauce around it.
Step 12
Serve cold, admiring the gentle wobble that means you got the texture just right.
Tips from the test kitchen
- Use just enough gelatin for a delicate wobble; too much makes it rubbery.
- Bloom the gelatin fully before adding it or you will get lumps in the cream.
