Blank Canvas Panna Cotta
One of my go-to desserts to cap a celebratory meal is panna cotta. Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert dating back to the 1600s. It is prepared with milk that has been lightly heated and combined with gelatin and heavy cream, often with the addition of herbs or spices for flavoring. Come spring we have access to fresh milk and nutrient-dense heavy cream once again, which makes panna cotta a perfect dessert to celebrate the season with.
This dessert can be made the day before a celebration—which frees me to be fully present in significant moments. What I love the most about panna cotta is that it is a “blank canvas,” readily receiving the best of what is seasonal, freshly forged, or locally available.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon mild-flavored oil to lightly grease ramekins
- 2 1/2 leaves silver gelatin leaves/sheets or 2 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoon of water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons dried herbs such as elderflower lemongrass, lemon balm, or peppermint (or just add a vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
Directions
- Lightly grease four 4-oz ramekins. Cut the gelatin leaves into 1/2-inch strips. Add 2 tablespoons of water to a bowl. Add the gelatin sheets to the water (or sprinkle powdered gelatin over the surface of the water). Let sit for 10 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, gently heat a 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of honey. Do not let the milk boil. Add 3 tablespoons of the herbs of your choice, then take the saucepan off the heat and cover for 10 minutes.
- Lightly reheat the milk, turn off the burner and add the gelatin, stirring until dissolved.
- Add the heavy cream to a large measuring cup with a pouring spout, then pour the milk, herb, and gelatin mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the cream (be sure to press as much of the milk and gelatin out of the herbs as possible).
- Stir the cream and gelatin mixture thoroughly and pour into the greased ramekins. Chill covered for 6 hours or overnight.
- When you are ready to serve, slide a knife around the edge of the ramekins and unmold them onto a plate. Alternatively, simply serve the panna cotta in the ramekins with any additional garnishes (such as fresh herbs, flowers, or fruits) on top.
Notes
Some flavor combinations to try:
Elderflower Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries
3 tablespoons dried elderflower (or the flowers of 3 large umbles) steeped with the milk. Garnish with chopped fresh strawberries. Lilac Panna Cotta
1/2 cup fresh lilac blossoms and 1/4 of a vanilla bean steeped with the milk. Garnish with fresh blueberries or blackberries. Fresh Mint and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Grated Dark Chocolate
Steep a large handful of your favorite fresh mint and 1/4 of a vanilla bean in the milk. Garnish with crumbled chocolate cookie and fresh mint, or grate dark chocolate on top. Lemongrass Panna Cotta with Passionfruit Jam
3 tablespoons dried lemongrass or 1/2 cup freshly chopped lemongrass, steeped with the milk. Serve with a spoonful of passionfruit jam. For extra crunch, add toasted coconut. Rosemary Maple Panna Cotta with Toasted Pecans
Add 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary to the milk and replace honey with maple syrup. Serve with toasted pecans.
3 tablespoons dried elderflower (or the flowers of 3 large umbles) steeped with the milk. Garnish with chopped fresh strawberries. Lilac Panna Cotta
1/2 cup fresh lilac blossoms and 1/4 of a vanilla bean steeped with the milk. Garnish with fresh blueberries or blackberries. Fresh Mint and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Grated Dark Chocolate
Steep a large handful of your favorite fresh mint and 1/4 of a vanilla bean in the milk. Garnish with crumbled chocolate cookie and fresh mint, or grate dark chocolate on top. Lemongrass Panna Cotta with Passionfruit Jam
3 tablespoons dried lemongrass or 1/2 cup freshly chopped lemongrass, steeped with the milk. Serve with a spoonful of passionfruit jam. For extra crunch, add toasted coconut. Rosemary Maple Panna Cotta with Toasted Pecans
Add 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary to the milk and replace honey with maple syrup. Serve with toasted pecans.
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