Classic Vanilla Panna Cotta

Thick and creamy, this Classic Vanilla Panna Cotta is a delicate dessert that requires very little effort to make!

Panna cotta is a dessert made of sweetened cream, thickened with gelatin and molded. Panna cotta is translated as “cooked cream”, originating from the region of Piedmont in Itaty. Panna cotta is one of my favorite desserts because I love the taste of it: creamy, rich and sweet! Also, when I need a quick dessert,  I just think of a cup of a panna cotta as it’s easy to make, great for making ahead.

A FEW TIPS FOR CREAMY PANNA COTTA

• This is the very classic panna cotta. I will use the main basic ingredients like heavy cream, milk, vanilla and gelatin in my recipe. If you want to make a lighter panna cotta, you can replace some of heavy cream with a lighter cream or yogurt.
• Panna cotta is not flan. This Italian dessert is cream, gelatin based while Flan is an egg custard. Panna cotta is more flexible which means you can add more flavor to serve it as your choice.
• Classic panna cotta is made using vanilla, but you can also modify the recipe with coconut, berries or any flavor of choice.
• Panna cotta can be molded in a cup or any container you would like it to be in. I love to serve it in glass cups for its good looking.
• Getting the proper ratio of gelatin is the secret to a perfect panna cotta. Adding too much will make your panna cotta like Jell-O, otherwise too little and you will end up having a running pudding.
• For the topping I’d rather decorate with fruits such as strawberries and blueberries, but you can also choose alternatives like puree, fruit sauces, chocolate ganache, caramel sauce to top your panna cotta.

I’m so into this dessert and have tried it a dozen of times. I love seeing you making this recipe and let me know how you liked it!