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This silky and creamy vanilla panna cotta recipe is a showstopper dessert sure to turn heads, but is quite easy to make!
Panna cotta is a delicious dessert similar to a vanilla pudding, but much more fancy! Keep the posh going with a tasty Crème Brulee or Chocolate Lava Cake.
We LOOOVe Panna Cotta!
But what is it? Panna cotta comes from Italy and means “cooked cream”. This silky Italian dessert is made from a mixture of cream/milk, sugar, and gelatin to hold its form.
A panna cotta recipe is often flavored and topped with a chocolate or fruit sauce. Unlike custard and Flan, both of which use eggs, panna cotta is a cream-based dessert.
Why we love it:
- Easy. It looks fancy but is quite simple to make. Follow the directions closely and you’ll be a star baker in no time!
- Delicious. This luxurious treat has a pudding-like texture that is simply heavenly.
- Variations. This panna cotta uses vanilla flavoring with raspberry for a pop of brightness, but you could easily change it up.
Panna Cotta Ingredients
- skim milk
- unflavored gelatin – Some panna cotta recipes can be made using egg whites and then baked. However, this recipe needs gelatin. Be sure to buy unflavored gelatin and NOT Jell-O.
- heavy whipping cream
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- fresh raspberries – This recipe uses a raspberry sauce, but you could substitute the raspberries for fresh strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries.
- lemon juice – fresh or from a bottle
- fresh berries for topping- avoid fruits that contain bromelain such as fresh pineapple and kiwi. The bromelain will break down the gelatin and result in a runny dish. Some delicious fruits you can use include peaches, cherries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
how to Make Panna Cotta
- GELATIN. In a small bowl, add milk and sprinkle gelatin powder. Stir together and set aside.
- CREAM. Add heavy cream and sugar to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring together.
- Bring mixture to boil. The cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan, so be careful, but as soon as the mixture is boiling, add the gelatin and milk, stirring until dissolved. Cook for one minute making sure to stir constantly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour into 4 cups (or for smaller servings, 6 ramekins).
- CHILL. Let the cups cool at room temp, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- SAUCE. Once panna cotta has chilled, make raspberry sauce. To make sauce, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove the raspberry seeds.
- SERVE. Pour the raspberry sauce over the top and garnish with fresh berries. Panna cotta is typically served in individual portions. Serve it inside a dish or invert it onto a plate.
flavor variations
This classic Italian dessert can also be made with other flavor variations as well. Add flavor according to what sauce and fruits you add to the tops.
- Replace the berry sauce with Chocolate Syrup or Caramel Sauce. Don’t add warm sauce on top, otherwise, it will melt right through the panna cotta.
- Sprinkle the dessert cups with shaved chocolate, toasted coconut, and fresh fruits.
How to Steep in Flavor
If you wish, steep the flavor directly into the heavy cream. For a vanilla panna cotta, add a split vanilla bean pod to the heavy cream.
- Cover and let it steep (soak) in the fridge for up to 24 hours depending on how intense you want the flavor to be.
- Taste the cream every 1-2 hours so that you don’t over-flavor it.
- Once you have the right flavor, strain the cream to remove the vanilla pod and any vanilla seeds.
Other flavors to steep include citrus peels, fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, and lavender buds. This method can be trial and error to get just the right flavor. When using new flavoring ingredients, keep notes and record any adjustments for next time.
recipe troubleshooting
If this recipe for panna cotta doesn’t set quite right, use these tips.
- Make panna cotta set faster.
- Have a bowl of ice water ready. After step 4 place the saucepan into the ice water (be sure that the water does NOT get into the panna cotta). Whisk in the vanilla. The ice water will help the panna cotta cool a bit before pouring it into the cups and chilling it in the fridge.
- Cool it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, then transfer it to the fridge. DON’T forget about it. Further exposure to the freezer will cause it to chill unevenly.
- Panna cotta not setting. The job of the gelatin is to set this dessert. If it fails, then the dessert won’t set.
- It may fail if it gets overheated. In step 5 add the milk and gelatin just before the mixture reaches a boil. Do not let it get to a rolling boil. You just need it hot enough, and to stir long enough, for the sugar and gelatin to dissolve.
- Another reason gelatin fails is that it is not dissolved well enough. The gelatin begins blooming in step 1 and continues to dissolve into the mixture in step 5.
- Give it time to chill. It needs at least 4 hours, but it often takes up to 8 hours.
- Panna cotta is splitting. When warm, the fat in the cream will rise to the top creating a watery layer and a creamy layer. To help keep this from happening, keep whisking the cream mixture while letting it cool.
- Placing the hot saucepan into a bowl of ice water while mixing in the vanilla helps it cool enough to keep the layers from separating.
Serving + Storing
- Panna cotta MUST be made in advance. It requires such a long chill time that I recommend making this the day before serving.
- STORE. Cover the easy panna cotta recipe and keep it in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- FREEZE. Avoid using the freezer to chill the panna cotta, but it can be stored in the freezer for later. Wrap each panna cotta tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil. Label and free for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge.
For More Fancy Dinner Party Desserts:
Panna Cotta
This silky and creamy vanilla panna cotta recipe is a showstopper dessert sure to turn heads, but is quite easy to make!
Ingredients
- ½ cup skim milk room temperature
- 1 (.25-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
- 2½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Raspberry Sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) container fresh raspberries
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- fresh berries for topping
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add milk and gelatin powder. Stir together and set aside.
- Add heavy cream and sugar to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring together.
- Bring mixture to boil. The cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan, so be careful, but as soon as the mixture is boiling, add the gelatin and milk, stirring until dissolved. Cook for one minute making sure to stir constantly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour into 4 cups (or for smaller servings, 6 ramekins).
- Let the cups cool at room temp, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Raspberry Sauce
- Once panna cotta has chilled, make raspberry sauce. To make sauce, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove the raspberry seeds.
- Pour the raspberry sauce over the top and garnish with fresh berries.
Video
Notes
How to avoid the panna cotta from splitting? Placing the hot saucepan into a bowl of ice water while mixing in the vanilla helps it cool enough to keep the layers from separating.
How to make sure the panna cotta sets? Be sure to let the gelatin bloom in the milk before adding it to the saucepan. Once added to the saucepan, stir constantly, and do not let it boil. Finally, allow ample time for the panna cotta to chill and set in the fridge.
Store. Cover and keep it in the fridge for 5-7 days. Chilled panna cotta can be stored long-term in the freezer. Wrap each tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil. Label and free for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 698kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 55g, Saturated Fat: 34g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 204mg, Sodium: 74mg, Potassium: 167mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 44g, Vitamin A: 2250IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 136mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Turns out super good! Thank you for the recipe!
Your site has shown me that I can actually make fancy desserts that look super difficult. Thanks for your recipes.
Delicious! I often triple or quadruple the recipe for large family gatherings; I also usually split the panna cotta into smaller plastic cups so it’s a smaller serving. It’s the best dessert to make in advance! Highly recommend!
This was amazing!! So creamy & elegant, perfect for parties! I am excited to try it with other toppings!
A simple but yummy dessert! It will definitely be the best part of your meal.