Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta with Blueberry Preserve

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert that literally means "cooked cream". It contains just a few ingredients; cream (and/or milk), sugar, and vanilla that are set with gelatin. This lovely  pudding has a rich flavor and silky smooth texture that takes just minutes to prepare. 

Panna Cotta is the perfect dinner party dessert as it is can be made ahead, is well suited for individual servings, is stunning to look at, and delicious to eat. 

I like to serve these Panna Cottas with a medley of fresh berries, fruit coulis, a fruit compote, poached fruit, or a chocolate or fruit sauce ( I like strawberry best)

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Preserve

Ingredients

7 gms - unflavored powdered gelatin

1/4 cup (60 ml) - cold milk

2 1/4 cups (540 ml) - heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup (60 grams) - sugar

1/2 tsp - pure vanilla extract

Method

1 . Have ready six small (1/2 cup) (120 ml) custard cups, ramekins, ceramic bowls, wine glasses or other small dessert cups.

2 . In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold milk and let this mixture sit for about 5 - 10 minutes. It will soften, swell, and become spongy. 

3 . Meanwhile, combine the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring it just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 

4 . Once the cream is very hot, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the gelatin mixture. Stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved. If necessary, return the saucepan to the stove and stir over low heat until you no longer see any gelatin particles. 

5 .  Stir in the vanilla paste or extract.

6 .  Pour the cream into the dessert cups and place in the refrigerator to chill for two to four hours, or until set.  

Makes 6 individual servings. 

Note:-  Panna Cotta can be made one to two days before serving.   

P.S :-
1.   For a more intense vanilla flavor, you could substitute half a vanilla bean for the pure vanilla extract. To use a vanilla bean simply split the bean down its length and scrape out the seeds using the end of a sharp knife. Then, stir all the seeds into the cream before it is heated. This not only imparts a wonderful vanilla flavor to the cream but I also like how the seeds dot the finished Panna Cotta. 

Now, do not throw away the vanilla pod once you have scraped out the seeds. This can be used to make wonderful vanilla scented sugar. To make the vanilla sugar first leave the vanilla pod on your kitchen counter for several hours or even a day until it dries out. Then, simply bury the dried vanilla pod into your canister of sugar. After a few days you will find that the flavor of vanilla has permeated through all the sugar.  

2. If you are bothered by the idea of  heavy cream, don't worry. Just replace the cream with milk. The panna cotta will be less rich but just as wonderfully smooth & silky . I personally use Amul fresh cream which is a thin cream. It comes out wonderfully. 

I have even made this from Slim milk once & marbled it with some coffee. Found it really light & wonderful. It makes a great low fat dessert.

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