Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta - Raspberry version

Panna cotta is a sort of whipped cream-based white pudding, traditionally prepared with gelatin, even if this is not necessarily the best way to prepare it. Today it is a popular dessert all over Italy, however it considered a traditional dessert of the dairy producing regions of the North.

Origins of Panna Cotta

Panna cotta is a typical dessert of Piedmontese origin. Its exact origins are uncertain but the region of Piedmont (Piemonte) has identified panna cotta, which means "cooked cream" as a traditional agricultural food product. The dessert may go back to the beginning of the 20th Century when it is said to have been invented by a Hungarian lady in the Langhe area.

Traditional Ingredients and Preparations

Thickening the cooked whipped cream only with gelatin, gives the dessert a very gelatinous texture, which melts in your mouth and has that disctinctive wiggle, when served on the dish. A more effective way of thickening panna cotta is using egg whites.

Panna Cotta - Composition

Panna cotta thickened with egg whites is prepared by cooking it in a double-boiler. The peculiar characteristic of this recipe is the consistentcy achieved; extremely smooth and creamy, impossible to get with gelatin or even more traditional thickeners like fish bones. To avoid spoiling the taste of panna cotta with an egg taste, it is necessary to cook the cream at a low temperature, under 100 degrees, and to filter the mixture before cooking to avoid clots.

Panna cotta is classically served with caramel, or with sweetened fruit sauces, or even with compotes of fruit crushes. Panna cotta can be also be spicy in various ways, from the classical vanilla to mint or ginger. The traditional recipe also takes into consideration both rum and marsala.

Recipes for Panna Cotta

Following are two recipes: One with gelatin and the other with egg whites. You can try them both, so that you can test the difference for yourself.

Ingredients for 4 Servings of Panna cotta

• 250gs Whipped cream
• 50gs Sugar
• 2 Egg whites
• 1 Vanilla beanpod (or other flavors of your choice)

Preparation of Panna cotta

Boil the whipped cream in a casserole along with the selected flavoring. As soon as it boils, remove from heat and let it cool for 3 minutes. Mix the egg whites and the sugar in a bowl, and add them to the whipped cream. Mix well, pass the mixture through a metallic strainer, and pour the panna cotta into 4 aluminum bowls - one portion each. Then put them in a baking pan 3 fingers deep of hot water, and cook them "bagnomaria" - a waterbath, in the oven, at 100 degrees, for 1 hour. Chill the panna cotta in the refrigerator and unmold it on a site plate.

Panna Cotta - Caramel version

Version with Caramel

Before putting the panna cotta in the bowls, prepare a caramel with 50gs of sugar, then dilute it with 3-4 spoons of water and pour it onto the bowl's bottom. Pour the remaining caramel on the panna cotta and proceed with the cooking them in a waterbath.

Version with fruit

Beat 250gs of strawberries with 20gs of sugar and pour the sauce around the panna cotta, already cooled and unmolded.

Chocolate and Coffee Panna cotta using Gelatin

Ingredients for 8-10 people

• 1.3L Pudding mold
• 500mls Whipped cream
• 700mls Milk
• 230gs Minced melting chocolate
• 200gs Sugar
• 20gs Fish glue or gelatin
• 3tsp Freeze-dried coffee
• Almond oil to brush
• Decoration: Sweet whipped cream, coffee grains

Greek yoghurt panna cotta in blackberry sauce. Photo courtesy of Stu Spivack

Preparation

In a casserole, put the milk, whipped cream and sugar. Remove from heat and add the fish glue softened in cold water. Add the freeze-dried coffee and the minced melting chocolate, by mixing the preparation well to loosen it up. Let the mix cool, and pour it into a greased bowl. Take the panna cotta to the refrigerator to chill for 6-8 hours.

Setting and Decoration

Unmold the dessert on the site plate and decorate it with big blocks of whipped cream and coffee grains.

One of the steps in the preparation of the dessert, needing most attention, is really that final step when it the dessert is being unmolded. To perform this operation with success, we recommend to smear the bowl with some almond oil before pouring the dessert. If the oil is too smooth, smear it with oven paper. However, remember that it is always a good idea to spend one more minute than spoiling the dessert on unmolding it on the plate. And what if the dessert doesn't really unmold? Dip it for a few minutes in warm water.