Panna Cotta

This is a surprisingly simple dessert, where high quality ingredients can really shine. Toppings are tricky, since the texture is delicate, but berries with honey and vinegar creates a beautifully balanced and refreshing treat.

I blended the recipes from two sources: Modernist Cuisine and Estela. MC suggests using 0.8g of Knox brand gelatin per 100g of liquid, however I find this gives too much of a “milk jello” vibe, so I back it down to 0.7g / 100g. It is important to measure this precisely, as half gram differences can meaningfully impact the texture

Estela serves their version with a honey-vinegar combination that provides a beautiful sweet and sour balance to the dish. I just do this to taste, microwaving it briefly to thin the texture. I prefer sherry vinegar, but there are many reasonable options!

Recipe

For ~2 servings:

• 40g whole milk

• 360g cream

• 2.8g gelatin

• 20g sugar

• 1/2 vanilla pod

Remember that this is the kind of simple recipe where ingredient quality matters! While you can use extract, real vanilla really makes this pop.

Instructions

• Bloom the gelatin in milk for ~5 minutes.

• Prepare an ice bath to cool the panna cotta quickly. This is not highly temperature sensitive, but it helps it set up more quickly.

• Gently bring the cream, sugar, and bloomed gelatin mixture to a simmer, to ensure the gelatin is melted.

• Strain the mixture into the ice bath, to remove any excess gelatin clumps.

• Scrape the vanilla pod into the mixture. Stir occasionally to help it incorporate

• Allow to sit for at least 5 hours in the fridge before serving. Remove from the fridge ~15 minutes before serving to take the chill off and allow the gelatin to soften