Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

Vanilla panna cotta is a great make-ahead, impressive dessert that is not only deliciously delightful, but so simple to make.

I wanted to make Panna Cotta for an event last month, and remembered that Manu (from Manu’s Menu) had posted a recipe. It looked really lovely, so it was my inspiration for this light and super simple dessert.

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In the US, we use powdered gelatin, so I substituted this for the sheet gelatin she used in her recipe. and I also used a real vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract.  Although it’s made with cream, Panna Cotta is refreshingly light!

You may also enjoy this Crème Brûlée recipe, too.

What is Panna Cotta?

It’s very simple, literally translated from Italian, “panna cotta” means cooked cream. That’s just what this dessert is, a sweetened, cooked cream with added flavors and a little gelatin.

This dessert is so easy, it actually shouldn’t be classified as cooking, but everyone will be impressed! A little raspberry (or your choice of fruit) sauce, and you’re golden! (Manu used passion fruit in her recipe, and a raspberry coulis with this other white chocolate panna cotta recipe.)

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

Inspired by Manu’s Menu           serves 6 

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

• 12 oz heavy whipping cream (organic, with no added ingredients if you can find it)
• 2 oz milk
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split (or 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste)
• 3/4 to 1 tsp gelatin (powder)
• (water, to soften gelatin)

Raspberry sauce

• 1 cup (about 4 oz) fresh or frozen raspberries
• 2 Tbsp sugar

Put the gelatin in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons, or so, of water to dissolve. Place the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean in a medium sized pot over low heat, then add the softened gelatin and stir.

Heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved, then remove from heat and take out the vanilla bean. Pour into moulds, ramekins, or small containers which have been rinsed with water (according to Manu, this will help the panna cotta to release afterwards.)

Refrigerate to set for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

Meanwhile, make the raspberry sauce by placing the berries and sugar in a small pot, over medium high heat for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. Press through a sieve to remove seeds, and keep sauce to serve on/with the vanilla panna cotta.

When ready to serve, unmold each vanilla panna cotta onto a serving plate, and drizzle the raspberry syrup on top or as desired. If you are want to do the same decor on the plate as I did, put the syrup in a plastic condiment bottle and make swirls on the plate.

If you don’t have gelatin, you could try making posset, a similar recipe that’s British instead of Italian. My friend Cynthia from What a Girl Eats has a lovely recipe. 

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Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

A light, creamy Italian dessert which is essentially named, 'cooked cream'.

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Ingredients

• 12 oz heavy whipping cream (organic, with no added ingredients if you can find it)
• 2 oz milk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split
• 3/4 to 1 tsp gelatin (powder)
• (water, to soften gelatin)

Raspberry sauce

• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. Put the gelatin in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons, or so, of water to dissolve. Place the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean in a medium sized pot over low heat, then add the softened gelatin and stir.
2. Heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved, then remove from heat and take out the vanilla bean. Pour into ramekins, or small containers which have been rinsed with water (according to Manu, this will help the Panna Cotta to release afterwards.)
3. Set in fridge to set for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
4. Meanwhile, make the raspberry sauce by placing the berries and sugar in a small pot, over medium high heat for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. Press through a sieve to remove seeds, and keep sauce to serve on/with the Panna Cotta.
5. When ready to serve, unmold onto a serving plate and serve with the raspberry syrup.

Notes

This can be served on its own, or with any type of fruit sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 266Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 3g

Nutrition info is estimated.

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