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Prep time
4 hours 30 minutes
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Cook time
20 minutes
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makes
about 6 panna cotta (depending on the size of your serving dishes)
Author Notes
I fell in love with panna cotta at Lidia Bastianich’s Kansas City restaurant. It was where my family celebrated special occasions, with slices of crispy cheese frico topped with mounds of salad, huge piles of pasta, and cold panna cotta for dessert. This cold-set custard is deceptively simple—cream is heated with sugar, then combined with milk and flavoring. Gelatin is the thickener, and as the custard chills in the refrigerator, it sets to a silky smooth, ultra creamy, and intensely craveable dessert. Once you realize how simple panna cotta is to make, you’ll also realize it’s brimming with possibilities. It can be made in many flavors, eaten on its own or even used as the filling for a tart or pie. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it—as a layered dessert boasting two complimentary flavors. I love to use fresh or frozen berries to make this berries and cream beauty. Boasting a thicker layer of the raspberry panna cotta, then a thinner layer of the vanilla cream on top, it’s gorgeous enough to impress at a dinner party—but is still so easy to make. To add a final decadent twist to this, drizzle a spoonful of sweetened condensed milk on top of the layer of the vanilla panna cotta, and spread into a thin, even layer. While this isn’t necessary, it really adds a little extra creamy oomph that I personally love.
—Erin Jeanne McDowell
Ingredients
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For the berry puree:
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12 ounces
(340 grams) raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, or any mixture/combination of these
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1 tablespoon
(15 grams) freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1/3 cup
(66 grams) granulated sugar
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—
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For the berry panna cotta:
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3 tablespoons
(45 grams) cool water
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2 teaspoons
(7 grams) powdered gelatin
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1 1/2 cups
(355 grams) heavy cream
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2 tablespoons
(25 grams) granulated sugar
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3/4 cup
(175 grams) berry purée (above)
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1/2 cup
(115 grams) whole milk
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1/2 teaspoon
(3 grams) vanilla extract
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—
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For the vanilla panna cotta:
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3 tablespoons
(45 grams) cool water
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2 teaspoons
(5 grams) powdered gelatin
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1 cup
(235 grams) heavy cream
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1 cup
(230 grams) whole milk
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1/4 cup
(50 grams) granulated sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
(3 grams) vanilla paste, or ¾ teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
Directions
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Prepare 6 small cups, jars, or other individual serving dishes. Place on a baking sheet, and make room for that baking sheet in your refrigerator.
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Make the berry purée: In a medium pot, combine the berries, lemon juice, and sugar, and toss together to combine. Cook over medium heat until the fruit is very tender and breaks down, 8 to10 minutes. Use the spatula, spoon, or a potato masher to help mash the fruit into a coarse purée.
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Strain the purée to remove any seeds or fibrous bits, reserving the purée in a liquid measuring cup. You should get about ¾ cup (175 mL)—if you have more, return it to the pot and cook over medium-low heat until it reduces slightly, 3 to 4 minutes more max. Set aside.
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Meanwhile, make the berry panna cotta: Place the water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Let sit for 5 minutes.
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In a medium pot, bring the cream and sugar to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the bloomed gelatin, and stir over medium-low heat until fully dissolved. Remove from the heat.
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Stir in the berry purée, milk, and vanilla to combine, and transfer to a large liquid measuring cup (or other container with a pour spout. Divide the berry panna cotta evenly between the prepared dishes. Transfer the tray of dishes to the refrigerator to chill until set, at least 2 hours.
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Make the vanilla panna cotta: Place the water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Let sit for 5 minutes.
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In a medium pot, bring the cream and sugar to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the bloomed gelatin, and stir over medium-low heat until fully dissolved. Remove from the heat.
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Stir in the milk and vanilla to combine, and transfer to a large liquid measuring cup (or other container with a pour spout. Divide the vanilla panna cotta evenly between the prepared dishes. Transfer the tray of dishes to the refrigerator to chill until set, about 2 hours, or up to 4 days. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!
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