This silken panna cotta, scented with natural vanilla and finished with a vivid raspberry coulis, is the kind of polished dessert you’d expect from a good restaurant — yet it comes together effortlessly at home. The contrast of cool creaminess and tart berries makes it just as suited to a candlelit dinner as it is to a holiday table.
Ingredients
Panna cotta
- 33% cream — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Milk — 150 ml (2/3 cup)
- Sugar — 70 g (1/3 cup)
- Vanilla extract — 1 tsp
- Powdered gelatin — 10 g (about 1 tbsp)
- Cold water for blooming gelatin — 50 ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- Salt — 1/4 tsp
Raspberry coulis and serving
- Raspberries (fresh or frozen) — 250 g (9 oz)
- Sugar — 60 g (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
- Lemon juice — 1 tbsp
- Water — 2 tbsp
- Raspberries for garnish — 60 g (2 oz)
- Fresh mint — 6 sprigs
Step-by-step recipe
- Bloom the gelatin: combine the powder with 50 ml very cold water and let stand for 5–10 minutes until fully swollen.
- In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk, 70 g sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat until the first signs of simmering appear — do not boil — stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin. Stir until completely dissolved. For a perfectly smooth texture, strain through a fine sieve.
- Pour into molds or glasses. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3–4 hours, until fully set.
- For the coulis: in a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, 60 g sugar, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil and cook for 3–5 minutes. Blend, then pass through a sieve to remove the seeds. Cool completely.
- To serve: gently run a thin knife around the edge of the molds, or briefly dip them in hot water for 5–10 seconds if needed, then invert onto plates. Alternatively, serve directly in the glasses. Spoon over the raspberry coulis and garnish with fresh raspberries and mint.
- Storage: panna cotta keeps its ideal texture for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store the coulis separately in a sealed container.
Nutritional value
| Item | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 400 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g |
| Sugar | 26 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sodium | 70 mg |
📹 Watch the video recipe on our Telegram channel: @alwaysyummy
Tips and variations
- Without gelatin: substitute agar-agar (1.5–2 g for the amount of liquid shown), simmering it for 1–2 minutes in the cream-and-milk mixture.
- Different aromatics: swap the vanilla for orange zest or star anise, gently warming it with the cream and then removing it.
- Less sweet: reduce the sugar in the panna cotta to 50 g and in the coulis to 40–50 g for a sharper berry note.
- Layered presentation: pour in a thin layer of coulis, chill for 15 minutes, then add the panna cotta for a beautiful two-layer dessert.
- Fruit variations: strawberries, blueberries, cherries, or mango all work well — just adjust the sugar to taste.
Frequently asked questions
- Why didn’t the panna cotta set? The usual culprits are too little gelatin or boiling the mixture, which weakens the gelatin. Make sure the gelatin is fully dissolved and the mixture never reaches a boil.
- Can I use sheet gelatin? Yes. Use 5–6 g sheet gelatin, soak it in cold water for 5–10 minutes, squeeze it dry, and dissolve it in the hot cream mixture.
- How can I make the dessert less rich? Replace part of the cream with milk — for example, 350 ml cream and 300 ml milk — though the texture will be less silky.
- Do I need to strain the coulis? It’s recommended for a smooth sauce without seeds. If you prefer a bit of texture, you can leave it unstrained.