Vanilla Panna Cotta -Marcus Wareing Recipes

Try this easy recipe for creamy panna cotta served with a simple raspberry sauce.

Panna cotta means “cooked cream” in Italian, and it is one of the easiest desserts to make. It is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatine and moulded. The cream may be aromatized with rum, coffee, vanilla, or other flavorings.

To appreciate its texture fully, use the best heavy cream you can find. Most health food stores carry pasteurized (not ultra pasteurized) cream, which has the perfect rich flavor.

Panna cotta is often served with a coulis of berries, or a sauce of caramel or chocolate. It may be covered with fruit or with liqueurs.

1-2 hours preparation time
10 to 30 mins cooking time
Serves 4


INGREDIENTS:

1- 1/2 leaves gelatin
1 cup plus 6 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1- 1/2 vanilla beans
1 tbsp dark rum or orange
Liqueur


PREPARATION METHOD:

1) Soak the gelatin leaves in ice water for about 10 minutes until they are soft.

2) Meanwhile, put the cream, milk, and sugar in a heavy pan. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the pan, then drop in the pods. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the rum and stir to mix. Take the pan off the heat.

3) Remove the gelatin leaves from the water and squeeze firmly. Add to the hot cream mixture and whisk until completely dissolved.

4) Strain the mix through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup and discard the vanilla beans. Stand the measuring cup in a bowl of ice water. Stir frequently until the mixture starts to thicken, then pour into four 3in (8cm) diameter ramekins or custard cups. Refrigerate for 1–2 hours until set.

5) To serve, run the tip of a small, sharp knife around the top edge of each panna cotta to release it from the side of the ramekin. Dip the bottom of each ramekin in hot water for a few seconds, then turn the panna cotta out onto a plate.


Quick Tips:

If you do not stir the panna cotta mix enough while it is thickening, it can set on the inside of the measuring cup. If this happens, warm it gently by standing the cup in a pan of warm water, and then cool it down again in the ice bath, stirring all the time.

KEY TO PERFECTION

Gelatin leaves give a smoother set than powder, and they are easier to use, too. You can find them at specialty baking stores and online. If you want to use powdered gelatin, substitute 1 envelope for 4 leaves and follow the package directions for dissolving.

Immerse the brittle leaves in a bowl of cold water to which you have added a few ice cubes. After about 10 minutes, the leaves will soften and become pliable.

Take the softened leaves out of the water and squeeze them tightly to get rid of as much surplus water as possible.

Drop the gelatin into the hot cream mixture while whisking constantly, or the gelatin will sink to the bottom in a clump. Keep whisking until the gelatin has completely dissolved.

After straining the mixture, stand the measuring cup in a large bowl of ice water. The cold of the ice bath will speed up thickening, and constant stirring with a spatula at this stage will help suspend the vanilla seeds evenly throughout the custard.


REFERENCE:

Want to master the perfect pancake? Need to learn just how to roast a chicken? Celebrity chef Marcus Wareing deconstructs classic recipes to show you just what works in the kitchen-and why. 

Marcus Wareing is an internationally acclaimed and multi-award winning, Michelin starred British Chef and Chef Consultant for the movie BURNT starring Bradley Cooper.

The book is filled with clear, step-by-step techniques, this is the ideal resource for both the kitchen apprentice and the cook looking to perfect their existing skills. Do you think you have what it takes to make it?

Get the book NOW... 

Wareing, Marcus. 2007. Cook the Perfect. DK.  ISBN-10: 0756626242