Panna Cotta Recipe | How to make Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert made with milk and cream. This easy and delicious panna cotta recipe is made without gelatin and thus a vegetarian version of panna cotta. To set the dessert agar agar is used instead of gelatin.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 2 cup whole milk
- 2 cup light cream (or low-fat cream (20 to 30% fat), swap easily with 2 cups of whipping or heavy cream)
- 1/2 cup sugar (or add as required)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence)
- 2 tbsp agar agar strands (- finely chopped)
- 1/3 cup hot water
Instructions
- 1
Do note that both the agar agar solution and the cream mixture should be hot when mixed with each other. So cook both simultaneously.
- 2
First take the 2 tablespoons finely chopped agar agar strands in a small sauce pan. Do cut the agar agar strands in small or tiny pieces.
- 3
Add hot water.
- 4
Mix and let the agar agar strands soak in hot water for 5 minutes.
- 5
Then keep the agar agar and water mixture on a low heat. Keep on stirring the agar agar solution and let it cook till the agar agar strands are dissolved.
- 6
Continue to stir often when cooking this solution.
- 7
Switch off the heat when all the agar agar strands have dissolved. You will see a clear solution.
- 8
Meanwhile mix the light cream (or whipping or heavy cream) and whole milk in a pan or saucepan.
- 9
Add sugar.
- 10
Keep the saucepan on the stovetop on a low to low-medium heat. Stir with a wired whisk. The sugar should dissolve completely.
- 11
Keep on stirring at intervals while the cream mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- 12
The mixture should just come to a gentle boil. Then turn off the heat.
- 13
Add the vanilla extract. If using vanilla essence, then add 1 teaspoon of it. Mix very well.
- 14
Now add the hot agar agar liquid to the hot cream and milk mixture. Both the agar agar solution and the cream mixture should be hot when you mix them.
- 15
Mix again very well with a wired whisk.
- 16
Pour the hot panna cotta mixture in bowls. If you plan to unmould the panna cotta, then grease the bowls with some neutral tasting oil like sunflower oil.
- 17
Cover the bowls with aluminium foil or lids. When the panna cotta mixture becomes warm or comes to room temperature, then place the bowls in the fridge to set for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
- 18
After setting, the panna cotta will have a gentle wobble on it. Serve Panna Cotta once it is set as is or topped with your favorite fruits or berries or drizzled with a fruit sauce or coulis.