Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts. It’s creamy, luscious and perfect for entertaining. You can prep these the day before you have guests over and everyone will be so impressed by how delicious they are.
This recipe is adapted from the one we cooked in culinary school — I love the slightly tangy balance the buttermilk adds and the flecks of vanilla bean take it to another level.
One of my favorite ways to serve this is in a cute ramekin/vessel, topped with seasonal fresh or stewed fruit. We know stewed figs will always be my #1 choice (pictured at the bottom of this post!) but stewed strawberries and fresh passionfruit (pictured below) are close seconds. I hope you love this one as much as I do!
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup whole milk, separated
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of Kosher salt
1 vanilla bean or 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste (can also use 1 Tbsp vanilla extract)
1 packet gelatin powder (I use the Knox brand)
METHOD
Add the heavy cream, buttermilk, 1/4 cup of the whole milk, sugar and salt to a large saucepan. If using a vanilla bean, slice in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds using a paring knife. Add both the seeds and the bean to the saucepan with the other ingredients. If using vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, simply add to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently*. Once the mixture has reached a boil, remove from the heat.
Stir the gelatin powder in a separate small bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup of milk and let it sit for ~5-10 minutes until the gelatin is firmed up. Add the gelatin mixture to the milk/cream mixture and whisk together until the gelatin melts into the mixture.
Strain the warm mixture (using a sieve) into a large bowl set over another larger bowl filled with with ice water. Using a spatula, stir the mixture consistently until it has fully cooled down. You’re looking for the mixture to be cool to the touch and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Pour the mixture into eight ramekins and place on a sheet tray. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 3 hours.
Serve as-is or topped with your favorite seasonal fruit. I like to top with stewed strawberries or figs (pictured below) or fresh passion fruit (pictured at the top) but the world is your oyster!
NOTES
When you’re bringing the milk/cream mixture to a boil, you definitely want to babysit it. Stir frequently to prevent scalding the bottom and to ensure it doesn’t bubble over. You can always adjust the heat, if needed.