Panna Cotta Pleasures

Panna cotta (from Italian for cooked cream) is an Italian dessert made by simmering together cream, milk, vanilla and sugar, mixing this with gelatine, and letting it cool until set.

Panna cotta is one of those things I order in a restaurant and savour, feeling like it’s one of those chefy, difficult dishes that I couldn’t hope to cook. Well that’s all changed. On Friday I gave it a try and it will be something I do again, definitely.

You will be shocked at just how easy it is, the hardest part is getting the dessert to set, but once you have the right amount of gelatine, it all comes together.

When it has set, it should be a bit like a jelly. A bit “jiggly” and it should have a lovely silky texture.

Recipe & ingredients

• gelatine leaves
• 250ml milk
• 250ml double cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, seeds scraped out
• 25g sugar

How To

• Soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water until soft.
• Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds and sugar into a pan and bring to a simmer. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
• Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, then add to the pan and take off the heat. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.
• Divide the mixture among four ramekins and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, until set.