Panna Cotta

Classic Italian Panna Cotta with Berry Coulis

A silky Piedmontese dessert of cream gently set with just enough gelatine to quiver on the plate, served with a bright berry sauce. The name literally means 'cooked cream', and the art lies in restraint.

Prep

15 min

Cook

10 min

Total

25 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 ml (2 cups) heavy cream, full-fat, minimum 35% fat, do not substitute with milk
• •120 ml (½ cup) whole milk, full-fat
• •80 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar, or fine granulated sugar
• •1 vanilla bean vanilla bean, split and scraped; or 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract added off the heat
• •1 strip lemon zest, wide strip, peel only, no white pith
• •7 g (1 envelope (2¼ tsp)) powdered gelatine, about 2¼ tsp, or 3 sheets (silver-strength) bloomed in cold water; this gives the classic soft set
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) cold water, for blooming the gelatine
• •250 g (8 oz) mixed berries, fresh or frozen, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
• •40 g (3 tbsp) caster sugar, for the coulis
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) water, for the coulis

Steps

1. 1 Lightly oil six 120 ml (½-cup) ramekins or moulds with a neutral-tasting oil, then wipe with a paper towel so only a faint film remains.
2. 2 Pour 30 ml (2 tbsp) cold water into a small bowl, sprinkle the 7 g (2¼ tsp) powdered gelatine evenly over the surface and let it bloom for 8 to 10 minutes until spongy and hydrated. (If using sheets, submerge 3 sheets in cold water for 5 minutes, then lift out and squeeze gently.)
3. 3 In a medium saucepan, combine 500 ml (2 cups) heavy cream, 120 ml (½ cup) whole milk, 80 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar, the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (plus the empty pod) and the strip of lemon zest.
4. 4 Heat over medium-low, stirring slowly and often, just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot and steaming, around 75 to 80 °C / 170 to 175 °F. Do not let it boil; a bare simmer at the edge is the most you want. About 5 to 7 minutes.
5. 5 Remove from the heat, fish out the vanilla pod and lemon zest, and stir the bloomed gelatine into the hot cream until completely dissolved, about 1 minute. The mixture should look perfectly smooth with no granules.
6. 6 If using vanilla extract instead of a bean, stir it in now, off the heat, so the alcohol evaporates gently.
7. 7 Pour the cream into a jug and divide evenly among the prepared moulds (about 110 to 120 ml each). Tap the moulds gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
8. 8 Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until fully set and just trembling when shaken.
9. 9 For the berry coulis: combine 250 g (8 oz) mixed berries, 40 g (3 tbsp) caster sugar, 30 ml (2 tbsp) water and 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, crushing the fruit with a spoon, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens slightly.
10. 10 Press the coulis through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds (if using raspberries or blackberries) and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
11. 11 To unmould, dip each ramekin briefly in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 8 seconds, run a thin knife around the edge, invert onto a serving plate and give a gentle shake.
12. 12 Spoon the cold berry coulis over and around each panna cotta and serve chilled, within a day for the silkiest texture.