Italian Panna Cotta, a delicious classic that’s super easy to make. With just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, this is sure to be your new favorite Italian dessert recipe!
Panna Cotta, or “cooked cream”, is a molded chilled dessert, well-known throughout Italy. Made of dairy that’s thickened with gelatin and then sweetened, the end product is pudding-like with an elegant flavor. It can be topped with many things, like chocolate or a fruit coulis like this easy cherry sauce.
It’s a refreshing no-bake dessert recipe to make during the summer, but it can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
Here are four reasons why you should make this Italian Panna Cotta recipe:
- You can make it ahead. Whether you’re in a time crunch or need a dessert to share at a party, panna cotta can be made up to 3 days in advance. Simply store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- It’s quick. This recipe comes together with only about 10 minutes of hands-on time.
- It’s versatile. You can switch up the toppings you use for panna cotta depending on what’s in season. From delicious sauces to fresh berries, the possibilities for toppings are endless.
- It’s delicious and light. The smooth, sweet flavors of panna cotta are so refreshing, making it the perfect summertime treat.
Let’s learn how to make Italian Panna Cotta!
Ingredients you’ll need
The best part about panna cotta is that it takes only 5 ingredients:
- Whipping Cream: The base of panna cotta, has a naturally sweet flavor that really shines when combined with sugar and vanilla
- Whole milk: The creamy liquid that allows panna cotta to set
- Sugar: An extra hint of sweet for this delicious dessert
- Vanilla extract: Adds simple, warm flavors to panna cotta
- Gelatin: Used as a thickening agent
Traditional panna cotta is flavored simply with vanilla, but you can get creative by adding your own flavors and toppings.
How to make panna cotta: step by step
In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin into the milk (photo 1) stir it around, and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, heat up the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract (photos 2&3)
Once it’s steaming (but not boiling), add the gelatin/milk mixture in (photo 4)
Whisk everything together until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat.
Pour mixture into 6 ramekin dishes, evenly divided (photo 5)
Place ramekins into fridge for at least 5 hours, until they firm up.
When ready to serve, top each panna cotta with sauce/coulis of choice (try our cherry sauce recipe) and enjoy! (photo 6)
Recipe questions + quick tips
Panna cotta is Italian for “cooked cream.” It’s a simple molded dessert recipe, made of cream that’s sweetened and thickened.
Yes, you can make panna cotta ahead of time! It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until you’re ready to serve. This is what makes panna cotta a great option for sharing at parties and holidays.
It takes at least 5 hours for panna cotta to set in the fridge.
Panna cotta and creme brulee both have custard-like consistencies, but they differ in preparation and taste. Creme brulee uses eggs as a thickener, compared to gelatin that’s used for thickening classic panna cotta. Extreme heat is not used to prepare panna cotta, whereas creme brulee requires oven-cooking before being poured into ramekins. The burnt caramel flavor of creme brulee is distinct from the pronounced sweetness of panna cotta.
Panna cotta has a light, smooth mouthfeel. It has naturally sweet and warm vanilla flavors. A variety of toppings can be used on panna cotta to bring out new flavor depths.
Panna cotta topping ideas
Panna cotta is delicious on its own, but you can make it yours by adding delicious toppings. Here are some of our favorites:
- Seasonal berry sauce/coulis: Layer panna cotta with a sauce made from raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries
- Caramel sauce: Adds a buttery, toasty flavor
- Cherries: Cherry panna cotta is a delicious variety (see our cherry sauce recipe here)
- Shaved chocolate: Sprinkle a little dark or milk chocolate over finished panna cotta
Top tips to make panna cotta
- You can make this panna cotta up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve
- Unmolding the panna cotta from the ramekin: this is an optional step. Before serving the panna cotta, bring water to a simmer so it’s hot. The water should be deep enough to just come below the rim of the ramekin. Turn the heat off. Place the ramekin in the water for a few seconds (5-10 seconds) to loosen the panna cotta. Invert panna cotta on to the serving dish. If it doesn’t come off, run a knife along the edge of the panna cotta and return to the water for another few seconds. Invert on to the plate again.
- I personally prefer keeping the panna cotta in the ramekin and serving it that way. Unmolding the panna cotta can be tedious, and it doesn’t always work out. Either it doesn’t unmold easily, and sometimes if kept in the water too long, when inverted, it melts slightly. It’s easier and more efficient to keep it in the ramekin.
More Italian dessert recipes
Can’t get enough panna cotta? Try my other Italian dessert recipes:
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Italian Panna Cotta Recipe
Italian Panna Cotta, a delicious classic that's super easy to make. With just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, this is sure to be your new favorite Italian dessert recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 packet gelatin about 1 tbsp
Instructions
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In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin into the milk, str it around, and set aside.
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In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, heat up the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Once it’s steaming (but not boiling), add the gelatin/milk mixture in.
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Whisk everything together until gelatin is dissolved, and not grainy anymore. Remove from heat.
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Pour mixture into 6 ramekin dishes, evenly divided. Place ramekins into fridge for at least 5 hours, until they firm up.
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When ready to serve, top each panna cotta with sauce/coulis of choice (try our cherry sauce recipe) and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- You can make this panna cotta up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve
- Unmolding the panna cotta from the ramekin: this is an optional step. Before serving the panna cotta, bring water to a simmer so it’s hot. The water should be deep enough to just come below the rim of the ramekin. Turn the heat off. Place the ramekin in the water for a few seconds (5-10 seconds) to loosen the panna cotta. Invert panna cotta on to the serving dish. If it doesn’t come off, run a knife along the edge of the panna cotta and return to the water for another few seconds. Invert on to the plate again.
- I personally prefer keeping the panna cotta in the ramekin and serving it that way. Unmolding the panna cotta can be tedious, and it doesn’t always work out. Either it doesn’t unmold easily, and sometimes if kept in the water too long, when inverted, it melts slightly. It’s easier and more efficient to keep it in the ramekin.
- You can top the panna cotta with anything you’d like, a seasonal berry sauce/coulis, caramel sauce, shaved chocolate etc
