🇮🇹 Italian · Dessert
🍮 Panna Cotta con Coulis di Frutti di Bosco
Panna Cotta
This silky Piedmontese 'cooked cream' sets into a delicate, barely-wobbling custard without any eggs, finished here with a bright, tart berry coulis to cut its richness.
Panna cotta's simplicity is deceptive — just cream, sugar, vanilla, and gelatin — but achieving its characteristic delicate wobble, firm enough to unmold yet soft enough to yield to a spoon, is a genuine test of technique and restraint.
Ingredients
Equipment: Small saucepan, Ramekins or small molds, Blender or fine sieve
- 600 ml (2½ cups) heavy cream
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 3 sheets gelatin (or 1½ tsp powdered gelatin)
- 250 g (2 cups) mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar, for the coulis
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
- Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes until softened.
- Warm the cream, sugar, and vanilla bean (seeds and pod) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves — do not let it boil.
- Remove from the heat, squeeze out the softened gelatin, and whisk it into the warm cream until fully dissolved.
- Strain the mixture to remove the vanilla pod, then divide among ramekins or molds.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.
- For the coulis, blend the berries with the sugar and lemon juice, then pass through a fine sieve to remove seeds.
- To serve, briefly dip each mold in warm water and invert onto a plate, or serve directly in the ramekin, topped with the berry coulis.
Chef Tips
- Never let the cream boil — this can affect the texture and cause the gelatin to set unevenly.
- The classic panna cotta wobble comes from using just enough gelatin to hold its shape — err on the side of slightly less rather than more.
- If unmolding, dip briefly in warm (not hot) water and run a thin knife around the edge to release it cleanly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Boiling the cream, which can cause a skin to form or affect how the gelatin sets.
- Using too much gelatin, resulting in a rubbery texture rather than the delicate, barely-set wobble that defines good panna cotta.
- Unmolding before it is fully set, causing it to collapse rather than hold its shape.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- The berry coulis adds vitamin C and antioxidants to balance the rich cream base.
Cultural Note
Panna cotta hails from Piedmont in Italy's northwest, a region also known for its rich dairy tradition, and has become one of the most widely adapted Italian desserts internationally.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Serve chilled; this dessert is not reheated.
Serve with: Fresh berries, A drizzle of honey as an alternative to the coulis