Summer can’t be coming to a crashing end. It just can’t be! So I need to catch up on some more recipes we enjoyed this summer, like this strawberry panna cotta.
Panna cotta is a traditional Piemontese recipe (from the Piedmont region of Italy). Panna cotta literally means cooked cream. I know, every thing sounds beautiful in Italiano! There are so many variations of the recipe. It is usually made simmering milk, cream and sugar that has gelatin added to it, that is then cooled to set and ENJOY!
This luscious cream can also be flavored up the way you like it, most of the times with vanilla (from a pod), espresso, cocoa powder, different spices. I’ve had it many times served with a berry sauce (or coulis) and that’s truly the way I love it! The last time I shared one with you was 4 years ago (what, WHAT?!?)and it was nutella espresso...oh, yes!
I added these to short glasses, but I did have some leftover and added it to a small ramekin and it’s so easy to flip out after it’s chilled. My little critic approved of this panna cotta! We have strawberry panna cotta every summer in Italy made by the one and only zia Daniella. She is one of my husband’s aunts, and like most of his aunts, she is quite amazing in the kitchen. She is pretty picky and she is pretty exact in all she does.
This summer we asked her to make us her famous panna cotta. And she exclaimed, “Ma panna cotta e’ un dolce invernale. Non si mangia panna cotta in estate.” So, that means, “Panna cotta is a winter dessert. You don’t eat it in the summer.” And I respectfully reminded her that she makes it for us every time we visit her in the summer. She responded that the reason she started to do that was because my nephew only liked that dessert of hers and she made it to please him.
some notes on this recipe:
As I mentioned above, panna cotta is so simple to make! It’s my go-to easy and elegant recipe. I know that it can be put together in minutes. As long as you set aside the time for it to chill, there is really nothing to stress you out about making this fabulous Italian dessert. I like to add different flavors to the cream. But my favorite fan at home loves it just like this, with the easy strawberry coulis.
Strawberry Panna Cotta
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: chill for 4 hours or overnight
Ingredients (6 servings)
PANNA COTTA
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (.25 ounce packet) unflavored powdered gelatin
- 3 cups whipping cream
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- pinch of salt
- STRAWBERRY SAUCE
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup sugar
- juice of one small lemon
Instructions
Add the milk to a heavy sauce pan and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let the gelatin soften for 5 minutes. Set the sauce pan over medium low heat. Warm the milk, stirring frequently. Make sure the milk never boils. If it starts to get too hot, remove the pan from the heat to cool.
Whisk in the cream, honey, sugar, pinch of salt. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Divide the mixture evenly between cups or ramekins. Let cool slightly. Set in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
While the panna cotta is chilling, make the strawberry sauce.
In a small sauce pan, combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Mash the strawberries while they are simmering. Cook until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
Purée until smooth, strain, and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve with the panna cotta.
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