Easy Panna Cotta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much gelatin in panna cotta? ›

Too much gelatin could result in a texture that is too firm and Jello-like (you want the panna cotta to be just barely firm enough to unmold).

Not Setting Properly: If your panna cotta doesn't set properly and remains too runny, it may be due to not using enough gelatin or not allowing it enough time to set. To fix this, you can try adding a bit more gelatin to the mixture or giving it more time to chill and set in the refrigerator.

When set, it can be unmolded, in which case it will shimmy seductively on the plate. It's a little bit of heavenly cool on a spoon. Typically, Panna Cotta is made by melting softened gelatin in hot liquid, combining with a sweetened dairy product, pouring into molds, and finally chilling to set the gelatin.

Panna Cotta is a classic Italian jello/pudding-like dessert that translates to “cooked cream” in English. This creamy custard-like dessert is made by simmering together cream, milk, sugar, and gelatin. After being mixed with sour cream and flavored with vanilla, the mixture is poured into molds and chilled until set.

The gelatin gets stronger as it sits, so this will be a bit rubbery by days 4 or 5, but you can mitigate this by letting the panna cotta sit at room temperature for about half an hour before serving.

Panna cotta ( lit. 'cooked cream') is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and molded.

If you like making gelatin for dessert, you might have noticed that the box recommends against adding certain kinds of fruit, such as papaya and pineapple, which are shown in Figure 1 below, as well as other fruits, like kiwi, mango, ginger root, figs, or guava.

Key Takeaways: Fruits That Ruin Gelatin

Proteases are enzymes that break chemical bonds in proteins, such as collagen in gelatin. Pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, and guava are examples of fruits that cause a problem. Heat inactivates proteases, so cooking fruit before adding it to gelatin prevents any issue.

Panna cotta: the quick recipe

There is a super-fast variation of the classic recipe. Simply remove the milk and dissolve the sugar and fish gelatin (softened in water) directly into the hot cream. Perfect for those who don't feel like dirtying more than one pot!

Can you use plastic cups for panna cotta? ›

Pour the panna cotta into six small plastic cups or glasses. Chill until completely firm, at least 2 hours. 4. While the panna cotta is setting, toss the fruit in a bowl with the sugar and mint.

Give that a try, and if you still feel the texture can be improved upon, here's a trick I learned from a professional pastry chef: Just remelt your panna cotta in a saucepan on the stovetop.

If you find that your panna cotta separates into two layers, one that's creamy and one that's more gelatin-like — there can be two reasons. First, either your gelatin didn't bloom and dissolve properly when stirred into the cream. Second, the cream mixture boiled after the gelatin was added.

Just take care with substitutes like dark brown sugar or demerara, which can be acidic enough to curdle the panna cotta if the base is too hot.

This elegant and silky dessert is the perfect way to end any meal. Made with just a few simple ingredients, including cream, sugar, and vanilla, it's easy to make but looks and tastes impressive.

Panna cotta can always be the right dessert — whether you're throwing a fancy party or a small one, have lots of time or no time, are gluten-free, dairy-free, allergy-prone, vegan, or simply craving a delicious and creamy sweet. It's perfect.

What is in gelatin? Gelatin consists of processed collagen extracted from the skin, bones, cartilage, and tendons of animals. The end result—gelatin, or hydrolyzed collagen—is a soluble protein, meaning it dissolves in warm water. Its chemical composition is very similar to collagen.

Panna cotta tastes like a soft, milky pudding that has a firmer texture than pudding. It holds its shape when scooped, but melts in your mouth. It has a sweet, vanilla flavor, almost like ice cream but softer. It takes on the flavors of the fruit you serve it with.