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    Home » Recipes » Pudding Recipes

    Panna Cotta Recipe

    Published: May 2, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

    143 shares
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    5 from 46 votes
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    Pinterest for Pana Cotta.

    Vanilla Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert that has gained popularity worldwide for its rich, silky smooth, and creamy texture. It’s a simple dessert made with only five ingredients, but its decadent flavor and silky texture make it a crowd-pleaser.

    taking a spoonful out of the panna cotta with berries.

    My panna cotta recipe is not only a creamy and delicious dessert, but it’s also easy to make ahead of time. You can prepare this classic Italian dessert a day or two in advance and keep it refrigerated until it’s ready to serve. This makes it a great dessert for dinner parties or other special occasions.

    Panna cotta is a versatile dessert that you can customize to your liking. Try adding coffee, tea, chocolate, or spices to make flavor variations your friends and family will enjoy. White chocolate panna cotta and lemon panna cotta are two of my favorites.

    overhead view of four panna cotta on white plates with berries and mint leaves.

    My creamy panna cotta is best served with fresh fruit, raspberry sauce, caramel sauce, or chocolate sauce.

    If you love creamy desserts, check out my creme brulee recipe.

    Table of Contents:

    • Ingredients to make panna cotta
      • Made with basic ingredients
    • Can I substitute ingredients?
    • How to make Panna Cotta
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Panna Cotta Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Notes
      • Nutrition

    Ingredients to make panna cotta

    ingredients to make recipe.

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Panna Cotta. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

    Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Made with basic ingredients

    • heavy cream
    • granulated sugar
    • vanilla extract or split vanilla beans
    • unflavored gelatin
    • water

    Can I substitute ingredients?

    • use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar to make this dessert.
    • whole milk, half and half, creme fraiche, coconut milk, almond milk, or any of your favorite milk substitutes can be used instead of heavy cream.
    • agar-agar powder or cornstarch can be used instead of gelatin.

    How to make Panna Cotta

    collage showing how t make recipe.
    • Pour the water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder (or gelatin sheets) over the surface of the water in a single layer. The softened gelatin will dissolve and be ready to use in 5-10 minutes.
    • Add the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a light boil to allow the sugar to dissolve. Remove the pan from the heat.
    • Stir in the gelatin mixture and immediately begin to whisk until the gelatin mixture is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth. *If the gelatin hasn’t fully dissolved, return the saucepan to the stove and heat gently over low heat. Stirring constantly, not allowing the mixture to boil.
    milk mixture in bowls and finished dessert out of bowls on white plaes.
    • Pour the hot cream mixture into four serving dishes to make individual portions of this custard-like dessert.
    • For perfect results, refrigerate the dessert for at least 3 -4 hours to give the hot panna cotta time to cool and set up. Unmold the desserts after they have completely cooled.

    *Using wine glasses is an elegant way to serve this classic dessert.

    Panna cotta on white plate with berries.

    Serve with fresh berries and garnish with mint leaves for a simple yet elegant presentation.

    Panna cotta with a spoonful taken out on white plate with berries.

    You’re going to love the silky texture of this custard-like dessert, and I guarantee my panna cotta recipe will become a family favorite and a dessert you’ll be making time and time again.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What is Panna Cotta?

    Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert that translates to ‘cooked cream.’ This delicious dessert originated in the Piedmont region of Italy. It’s a simple dessert consisting of a mixture of sweetened cream and gelatine.

    What does panna cotta taste like?

    This dessert has a silky, creamy texture and a sweet milky taste with hints of vanilla.

    Can I use other types of milk to make panna cotta?

    Yes, you can. While heavy cream is the traditional choice for this dessert, but you can use other milk types, like coconut or almond milk. However, keep in mind that the texture and flavor may be slightly different, and it won’t be as rich as it would be using heavy cream.

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    Panna cotta on white plate with berries.
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 46 votes

    Panna Cotta Recipe

    Vanilla Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert that has gained popularity worldwide for its rich, silky smooth, and creamy texture. It's a simple dessert made with only a few ingredients, but its decadent flavor and silky texture make it a crowd-pleaser.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time15 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 460kcal

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup water
    • 1 ¼ teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin one packet
    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Pour the water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water in a single layer. Don't just pour it in and let it clump together.
      Let stand for 5-10 minutes to soften.
    • Add the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a light boil to allow the sugar to dissolve.
      Remove the pan from the heat.
    • Stir in the gelatin mixture and immediately whisk until completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth and the gelitin is dissolved.
      *If the gelatin hasn’t fully dissolved, return the saucepan to the stove and heat gently over low heat. Stir constantly, not allowing the mixture to boil.
    • Pour the panna cotta cream into four serving dishes.
    • Refrigerate for at least 3 -4 hours to give the dessert time to set up.
    • Serve with fresh berries and garnish with mint leaves.

    Notes

    Panna cotta can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 115mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1749IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Dee

      May 29, 2023 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      I love panna cotta but always been scared to make it myself. It was easy to make and so delicious!

      Reply
    2. Veronika

      May 29, 2023 at 2:08 am

      5 stars
      I love that you can make this panna cotta ahead! It made it so much easier for me to make it for our party this weekend along with everything else. Everyone loved it!

      Reply
    3. Monica

      May 28, 2023 at 10:55 pm

      5 stars
      This truly was the most beautiful and silky panna cotta I could imagine – such a delicious classic dessert! I will be making this again for the finale to my next dinner party – I know everyone will be crazy impressed!

      Reply
    4. Enriqueta E Lemoine

      May 28, 2023 at 10:21 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Chef, I love panna cotta, and yours is really delicious and silky. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    5. Dani

      May 28, 2023 at 8:12 pm

      5 stars
      This Panna Cotta recipe was amazing! I loved the smooth and creamy texture and everyone in my family raved about it.

      Reply
    6. Kris

      May 27, 2023 at 9:08 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out delicious and I made it with honey instead of sugar. It was simple and I would definitely make it again.

      Reply
    7. Isabelle

      May 27, 2023 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy and very good. Can this be frozen? I am afraid we won’t be able to enjoy it all in just 3 days!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 28, 2023 at 8:20 am

        Yes it can be frozen.Just make sure to cover it well or place it in an airtight container.

        Reply
    8. Colleen

      May 26, 2023 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      This panna cotta is so easy to make all of our dinner guests were super impressed. Thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
    9. Sean

      May 25, 2023 at 9:48 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love panna cotta. I made this for dessert for my friends the other day and they loved it as well.

      Reply
    10. Gloria

      May 22, 2023 at 12:24 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and elegant. Presentation perfect. It was a great way to impress my guests at our last dinner party.

      Reply

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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