Why We Love This Delicious Italian Dessert
Panna cotta (Italian for “cooked cream”) is a velvety-smooth Italian dessert that’s made by simmering cream, milk, and sugar together and adding gelatin to set it. The result is a creamy, silky custard that’s rich in flavor, but surprisingly light in texture. Panna cotta is different from other custards because it doesn’t require eggs, which makes it really easy to prepare.
You’ll sometimes see panna cotta chilled in molds, then unmolded for serving, but we like to serve it in glasses for a simpler, more casual approach. Our recipe includes a cinnamon-spiced pear puree as a delicious fall-inspired topping. Feel free to switch that out for berries, apples, or even a simple drizzle of honey combined with a sprinkling of orange zest.
How to Make Panna Cotta
- Place the water in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly on top. Stir gently and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes as you prepare the cream mixture.
- Heat the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Slowly pour the cream mixture into the gelatin mixture, stirring gently until the gelatin has dissolved completely into the cream.
- Transfer the panna cotta mixture into eight (8) individual serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate until firm (3 to 4 hours).
- Make the pear purée by placing the pears, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pears are tender and begin to break down.
- Remove the pan from the heat and, using an immersion blender, conventional blender, or food processor, purée the pear mixture until smooth (see notes). Stir in the cinnamon, transfer to a small bowl, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Before you’re ready to serve, top each panna cotta portion with the pear purée.
Panna Cotta with Spiced Pear Purée
Panna cotta is an easy-to-make Italian dessert with a silky, custard-like texture and rich, creamy flavor. It's easy to adapt by including seasonal ingredients too, and this recipe, with its cinnamon-spiced pear puree is the perfect finish for a fall feast.
Ingredients
For the gelatin:
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin, about 5 teaspoons
- 1/4 cup water
For the panna cotta:
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the spiced pear purée:
- 4 ripe pears, peeled and chopped
- 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or more to taste
Instructions
- Place the water in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly on top. Stir gently and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes as you prepare the cream mixture.
- Heat the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Slowly pour the cream mixture into the gelatin mixture, stirring gently until the gelatin is has dissolved completely into the cream.
- Transfer the panna cotta mixture into eight (8) individual serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate until firm (3 to 4 hours).
Make the pear purée:
- Place the pears, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pears are tender and begin to break down.
- Remove from the heat and purée the mixture until smooth with an immersion or conventional blender, or a food processor (see notes). Stir in the cinnamon and transfer to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serving:
- When ready to serve, top each portion of panna cotta with the pear purée.
Recipe Notes
To achieve an extra-smooth texture for the pear puree, press it through a sieve or fine-mesh strainer before chilling.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Panna Cotta with Spiced Pear Purée
Amount per Serving
Calories
426
% Daily Value*
Fat
33
g
51
%
Saturated Fat
21
g
131
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
8
g
Cholesterol
105
mg
35
%
Sodium
41
mg
2
%
Potassium
240
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
29
g
10
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
24
g
27
%
Protein
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
1384
IU
28
%
Vitamin C
5
mg
6
%
Calcium
107
mg
11
%
Iron
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.
Sarasu says
You did not complete the directions as to how to serve the pan a cotta with the pear purée, for those of us who are amateurs.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Sarasu,
Thank you for pointing out the oversight. I did update the recipe, but fyi the pear purée is added just before serving.