June 28, 2013

Panna Cotta with Fresh Berry Sauce

Italy has always made a big impression on me.  Its majestic history, scenery and food are so imposing and hard to ignore.  So, last year Adrian and I finally ventured to Italy together.  It was our first time together to the boot-shaped peninsula and this time we decided to take Rome and Tuscany by storm.  In a nutshell, it was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed every second in the Eternal City, Florence and the surroundings, but we also truly relished the best panna cotta in the world!




 
Over the years, I’ve sampled numerous variations of this classic Italian dessert across America and even in Romania, but the one that let me hungry for more was the panna cotta in Italy.  I don’t really know why; maybe because the Italians invented it, or because it’s been done, tweaked and improved, and found seemingly on every restaurant’s dessert menu.  Most likely, because it’s delicious!  But don’t panic.  You don’t have to fly across the pond in search of a great panna cotta.  This Panna Cotta with Fresh Berry Sauce can easily be a second best and will graciously do the trick!  





In all honesty, I’ve always had an affinity for this Italian staple but somehow never dared to make it myself.  Perhaps the wobbly pudding engrained in me the idea of a highly difficult dessert.  As it turns out, I was wrong all along.  Making panna cotta is nothing short of effortless!  And this Panna Cotta is here to prove it.  It’s so unbelievably easy to whip up, no baking required, and you’ll be done in roughly 30 minutes, sauce included.  The tough part is the waiting for the panna cotta to set.  You’ll impatiently wonder around until you can finally dig in and engulf this fabulous dessert.  But once set, you’ll have a stunning sweet treat gleaming in deliciousness.  





This panna cotta is simple, summery, and purely sublime!  Refreshing and beautiful will also look gorgeous on your Fourth of July table.  The contrast between the silky smooth, cottony pudding, bursting with delicate vanilla perfume, and the sweetly tart, crimson saucy berries is wonderful.  The flavors are luxurious and transcending, and the faintly thick, delightful richness of the cream shines through.  Of course, you can swap the vanilla for rosewater or lavender or any other flavors you desire to infuse the cream mixture.  The possibilities are endless and the result magical.  Simply put – a glorious dessert that will make your summer even sunnier! 




 
Panna Cotta with Fresh Berry Sauce
Adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients for the Panna Cotta:

·         1 cup whole milk
·         1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin
·         Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
·         3 cups heavy cream
·         1/3 cup honey
·         1 Tablespoon sugar
·         Pinch of salt

Ingredients for the Fresh Berry Sauce:

·         2 cups assorted fresh berries
·         1 ½ Tablespoon sugar





Instructions for the Panna Cotta:

Place the milk in a heavy, small saucepan.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk and let stand for 5-7 minutes to soften the gelatin.  Stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes.  Add the vanilla seeds and stir well to combine.  Add the heavy cream, honey, sugar, and salt and stir until the honey and sugar dissolve, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  Pour the mixture into 6 glasses, dividing equally.  Cover each glass with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.  





Instructions for the Fresh Berry Sauce:

Place the berries in a small saucepan and sprinkle with sugar.  Heat up the berries over medium-low heat until juicy and soft and mash some of them with a fork.  Continue to stir until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.  Let it cool. 

Spoon the sauce atop the panna cotta and serve. 





Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

30 comments:

  1. The same thing happened to me, I don´t know what took me so long to make it for the first time. Those berries are the perfect way to eat it during the summer! So gorgoeus Dana!

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    1. Thank you so much, Paula! I'm so happy I finally made this panna cotta; and you're right – berries are the perfect way to eat it during the summer. It's so refreshing :)

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  2. Fotografiile sunt foarte frumoase.Totul arata super. Tata

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  3. these photos are beautiful! I love the whole fruit on top of the compote it just gives the whole look a little something extra!

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    1. Thank you so much, Jenny! Whole fruit on top of the compote works really well :)

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  4. This pannacotta looks like the ultimate dessert :D
    Those berries are perfect!

    Cheers
    CCU

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    1. Also because of my exams, I will not be commenting for around 4 weeks – see you afterwards!

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    2. Thank you so much, Uru! This panna cotta can easily be the ultimate dessert :D And best of luck with your exams! You go get them girl :)

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  5. these are gorgeous Dana! such a delicious summer dessert!

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    1. Thank you, Jenn! This is definitely a delicious dessert and absolutely perfect for summer :)

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  6. Hi Dana,

    I have not been to Italy before and have tried the real Italian panna cotta. Nice to know I don't have to fly to Italy now to enjoy this great treat. Bookmarked this recipe!

    Zoe

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    1. You're so sweet – thanks so much, Zoe! You definitely don't have to fly to Italy for this delicious panna cotta :) I hope you like it; please let me know how it turns out :) I don't think you'll be disappointed!

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  7. Hi Dana! These pictures look amazing and I can't wait to try your panna cotta recipe although I've never been to Italy or Europe! Laura

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  8. I have actually never tried panna cotta before, but your pictures make it look so delicious! I have been feeling adventurous lately, so I'll have to give your recipe a try :)

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    1. Thank you, Alex! I think you'll like this panna cotta – it's delicious and super easy to whip up :)

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  9. Now I wish I would have had some real Italian panna cotta while in Italy! But I guess I'll make due with your gorgeous version...it looks fantastic!!!

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    1. Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Liz! I love this panna cotta and it's so close to the Italian panna cotta they serve in Italy :)

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  10. Hi, I read this post while I was away on holidays but I struggled with the internet connection and couldn't post a comment. So here I am, back again! I love panna cotta and have made it for dinner parties. I love the berry topping on your dessert xx

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    1. Thank you so much, Charlie for not giving up and coming back to post a comment! I greatly appreciate it! I love panna cotta too and it's great for dinner parties :) So far, it's been a hit with family and friends!

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  11. Berries are the perfect topping for the creamy pannacotta. I can definitely imagine how delicious each spoonful would be :D

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    1. Thanks so much, Lorraine! Totally agree – berries are the perfect topping for the panna cotta! It's simply wonderful :)

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  12. Beautiful panna cotta! Great minds think alike! And I agree, it's way easier than it looks.

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    1. Thank you so much! We do think alike :) And yes, making panna cotta is way easier than it looks!

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  13. Panna cotta has got to be the two best words in Italian. Love this dessert and the contrast of the berries!

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    1. Thank you so much, Hester! I totally agree! I love the two words and the dessert is even better :)

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  14. Hi Dana! I tried your panna cotta recipe on Saturday and it was so easy to make! My family loved it and my husband told me that panna cotta is his new favorite summer dessert :) Laura

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    1. Hi Laura! So happy to learn that you and your family loved the panna cotta! Isn't this so easy to make? The funny thing is that last weekend we went to our friends' house and I brought the panna cotta for dessert; and our friend said the same thing your husband did – that the panna cotta is his new favorite summer dessert! How sweet is that :)

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