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Preppy Kitchen

Easy Vanilla Panna Cotta

A silky Italian vanilla panna cotta that's rich, creamy, and just wobbly enough, set with gelatin instead of eggs. Only about 15 minutes of hands-on work, then the fridge does the rest.

⏱ 435 min6Italiandessertitalianpanna cottavanillamake ahead

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cupcold water · 60mL
  • 1 envelopeunflavored powdered gelatin · 1/4-ounce/7g
  • 1 cupwhole milk · 240mL
  • 1/2 cupgranulated sugar · 100g
  • 1vanilla bean · seeds scraped, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cupsheavy cream · 360mL
  • —roasted strawberries or fresh berries · for serving

Steps

  1. 1

    Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Set aside to hydrate.

  2. 2

    Combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla bean with its seeds (or the vanilla extract) in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

  3. 3

    When the milk mixture is hot to the touch, about 140°F, gently whisk in the hydrated gelatin until fully dissolved.

  4. 4

    Stir in the cream, remove from the heat, and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

  5. 5

    Divide the mixture among six 6-ounce ramekins or small glasses, about 4 ounces per dish.

  6. 6

    Let the panna cotta cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then cover each one with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

  7. 7

    To serve in the ramekin, add berries and enjoy. To unmold, dip the ramekin in a bowl of hot water for about 3 seconds, run a thin sharp knife around the edge, set a small plate on top, and flip the ramekin and plate over.

  8. 8

    Wiggle the ramekin to release the panna cotta, dipping it in hot water again if it doesn't come loose. Serve with roasted strawberries, fresh berries, or as desired.

Creator's notes

The trick is the texture: silky, wobbly, and melt-on-the-tongue, never rubbery. It looks fussy but takes only about 15 minutes of hands-on time — the hardest part is waiting for it to set.

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