Panna
Cotta
Chilled vanilla cream
Sweetened cream set with gelatin makes a cool, gently wobbling dessert, served plain or with a small fruit topping.
The photo is unmolded; this recipe sets in glassesA little wobble,
cool vanilla cream.
Panna cotta means cooked cream, although the cream is only gently heated before it is chilled. Gelatin gives it enough structure to hold a soft shape. Unlike an egg custard, its flavor comes mainly from the cream and whatever is used to scent it, often vanilla.
The dessert is associated with Piedmont and appears on menus throughout Italy. It may arrive unmolded on a plate or served in a glass, with fruit, caramel or chocolate alongside. This home version uses individual glasses, which allow a delicate set without the extra firmness needed for turning out.
Explore by food: Desserts
Let’s make panna cotta.
A gently set cream dessert served in small glasses with fresh berries.
Four small 150 ml serving glasses.
The 375-minute rest/chill allowance includes about 15 minutes of cooling followed by a full 360 minutes in the refrigerator.
What you’ll need
- 500 mlheavy cream
- 60 gsugar
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 6 gpowdered gelatin, about 200 bloom
- 30 mlcold water
- 150 gfresh berries, for serving
Gelatin strengths differ: follow the product’s setting guidance for 500 ml cream if its bloom differs. This soft-set version is intended for glasses, not unmolding.
How to make it
- 01
Bloom the gelatin
Sprinkle gelatin evenly over the cold water in a small bowl. Leave for 5–10 minutes until swollen.
- 02
Warm the cream
Heat cream and sugar in a saucepan, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and steam rises. Do not boil hard. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
- 03
Dissolve and portion
Add the bloomed gelatin to the hot cream and stir until completely dissolved. Divide between four heatproof serving glasses. Let the steam subside for about 15 minutes.
- 04
Chill and serve
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours until softly set. Top with the berries just before serving.
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