Panna cotta
Piedmont's vanilla 'cooked cream', set with agar instead of gelatine
Panna cotta means 'cooked cream' and comes from the dairy country of the Langhe in Piedmont, where it is served after Sunday lunch, often with caramel or a few berries. Classic recipes set it with gelatine, which is made from animals; this version uses agar, a seaweed setting agent, so it is properly vegetarian. Agar sets firmer and faster, so the amount is small and it must be boiled to work. The result is creamy, just set and wobbles when you shake the plate. Chef's tip: boil the agar in the milk for a full 2 minutes before adding the cream; if it only warms, it will not set.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the panna cotta
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp agar powderabout 2 g; not flakes
- 2 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 ¾ cups double cream
- 1 vanilla podsplit, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the berry sauce
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
To serve
- 6 mint leaves (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Whisk 1 tsp agar powder into cold ¾ cup whole milk in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, whisking, then simmer for 2 minutes. Common mistake: using agar flakes in place of powder, or not boiling it; it will not set.
5 minStep 2: Add 2 ½ oz caster sugar, 1 ¾ cups double cream and the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod (plus the pod). Heat, stirring, until steaming and just at a simmer, about 3 minutes.
3 minStep 3: Remove the pod. Pour into 6 small glasses or lightly oiled 150 ml moulds. Agar starts setting at about 104°F, so work quickly.
Step 4: Cool for 20 minutes, then chill for at least 2 hours, until set with a gentle wobble.
120 minStep 5: For the sauce, cook 9 oz mixed berries, fresh or frozen with 2 tbsp caster sugar over a medium heat for 5 minutes until juicy and slightly thickened. Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice and cool.
5 minStep 6: Serve in the glasses with the sauce spooned on top, or turn out moulds by dipping them in hot water for 5 seconds. Add 6 mint leaves if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does panna cotta take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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