Vanilla & Chocolate Panna Cotta (Italian dessert)

Panna cotta (Italian for "cooked cream") is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and molded. The cream may be aromatized with coffee, vanilla, or other flavourings.

It is often cited as a traditional dessert of the northern Italian region of Piedmont.

Here I’m giving you the recipe for 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of cream. But I had done it in lesser quantity. Instead of gelatin, I used agar agar sticks. If you get agar agar powder you can use it too. So, it’s a vegetarian version.  

Here, I made two different flavours of panna cotta.

1.   Vanilla panna cotta.

2.  Chocolate panna cotta.

*Ensure the read the note for the perfect panna cotta.

Ingredients:

        Vanilla panna cotta:

1.     Milk- 1 cup(Boiled & cooled)

2.     Cream – 1 cup

3.     Sugar – 2 ½ tbsp

4.     Agar Agar/ gelatin – 1 tsp

5.     Vanilla essence – 1tsp

Chocolate panna cotta:

1.     milk- 1 cup(Boiled & cooled)

2.     Cream – 1 cup

3.     Sugar – 1 ½ tbsp

4.     Agar Agar/ gelatin – 1 tsp

5.     Dark chocolate (70% cocoa)- 70g.

 

*To make agar agar syrup from agar agar sticks:

As I used agar agar sticks I’m doing this process because sticks will not be soft and will not dissolve directly in the panna cotta mixture.

If you are using agar agar powder directly you can use it in the mixture.

1.   Soak close to 15 grams of agar agar stick in 100 ml normal water for 20 minutes

2.   Then in a saucepan add the soaked sticks and add 1 cup of water and boil it in medium flame until the sticks completely dissolve. Then turn off the stove.

 Now agar agar syrup is ready.

To Make Vanilla panna cotta mixture:

1.     In a Saucepan add 1 cup of milk and I cup of cream and using a whisk combine both without any lumps.

2.     Now turn on the stove and keep it on a low flame.

3.     Once steam starts coming (the mixture should not boil). Add 1/4 cup of agar agar syrup (or) 1 tsp of agar agar powder to the mixture. And using a whisk ensure to dissolve completely and combine it well.

4.     Then add 2 ½ tsp of sugar and allow it to dissolve well. And turn off the stove.

5.     Important thing, in the entire process the mixture should not boil and ensure to cook on low flame itself.

6.     After removing the mixture from the stove add 1tsp vanilla essence and mix well and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.   

7.     Strain the mixture to remove any lumps or minute particles that are not dissolved. 

 Now the vanilla panna cotta mixture is ready.

To Make Chocolate panna cotta mixture:

1.     In a Saucepan add 1 cup of milk and I cup of cream and using a whisk combine both without any lumps.

2.     Now turn on the stove and keep it on a low flame.

3.     Once steam starts coming (the mixture should not boil). Add 1/4 cup of agar agar syrup (or) 1 tsp of agar agar powder to the mixture. And using a whisk ensure to dissolve completely and combine it well.

4.     Then add 1½ tsp of sugar and allow it to dissolve well. And turn off the stove.

5.     Important thing, in the entire process the mixture should not boil and ensure to cook on low flame itself.

6.     After removing the mixture from the stove add 70 grams of dark chocolate and mix well and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.   

7.     Strain the mixture to remove any lumps or minute particles that are not dissolved.  

Now the chocolate panna cotta Mixture is ready.

To assemble and set Panna cotta:

1.     If you are making a single flavour you can transfer the mixture into a small serving glass tumbler/bowl and cover and refrigerate it for 2 – 4 hours or until it sets. (it should become like jelly).

2.     As I made two different flavours and planning it to layer them. 1^st I refrigerated and set 1 mixture and once it’s set completely. I poured another mixture on top of it and refrigerate it to set the top mixture.

3.     Here first I refrigerated and set the vanilla mixture for 2 – 4 hours

4.     Once it’s set on top of it I poured the chocolate mixture and set it for 2 to 4 hours or until it sets completely.  

 Now delicious Italian dessert vanilla and chocolate panna cotta is ready. Serve it chill. 

Note:

1.     Always use boiled milk which is at room temperature.

2.     You can use fresh cream/ heavy cream/whipping cream.

3.     When the 1^st mixture is set then you can start making 2^nd mixture. As we use agar agar/ gelatin. Making early will change the texture of the mixture.  

4.     If the mixture starts boiling after adding cream there is a chance of cream getting cuddled.

5.     After adding agar agar/ gelatin also if the mixture boils the agar agar/ gelatin will lose its thickening property.

6.     If the panna cotta is not set properly:

i)       Either you must have boiled the mixture after adding agar agar or gelatin

ii)     The quantity for agar agar / gelatin sometimes may not be sufficient.

iii)    You have to refrigerate it for some more hours.

iv)      you must have used agar agar / gelatin which date has expired.

7.     If you want to de-mould and serve the panna cotta better to refrigerate it overnight.

8.     To de-mould place the glass bowl in lukewarm water for 10 seconds and invert it into the plate.

9.     If you use gelatin you can freeze the panna cotta in freeze exactly for 30 minutes and not more than that. Then transfer it into fridge mode and keep it until serving.