Vanilla Panna Cotta

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Vanilla Panna Cotta: Step by Step

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1. Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes until floppy.

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2. Put the cream, milk, sugar, salt and the vanilla pod and seeds in a pan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture steams — about 70°C / 158°F. Do not let it boil, which would drive off the vanilla aromatics.

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3. Take off the heat and let it infuse for 10 minutes, then remove the pod.

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4. Squeeze the gelatine dry and whisk it into the warm cream until completely dissolved.

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5. Pass through a fine sieve into a jug — this catches any undissolved gelatine and guarantees a flawless texture.

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6. Pour into six moulds or glasses. Cool for no more than 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until just set.

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7. Toss the berries with a tablespoon of sugar and let them macerate for 20 minutes to draw out a syrup.

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8. To unmould, dip each mould in hot water for 3 seconds and invert onto a plate. Spoon the berries alongside.

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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Worth Getting Right

• Serve in the glass if you are nervous — the wobble is easier to achieve when you do not need it to stand up.
• Powdered gelatine works: use 5 g and bloom it in 3 tablespoons of cold water for 5 minutes.
• Infuse the cream with coffee beans, citrus peel or a bay leaf for a subtle variation.

What to Serve With It

Moscato d'Asti or a late-harvest Riesling · A crisp almond biscotti for contrast · Follows osso buco or risotto perfectly

Storage

Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days. Do not freeze — gelatine sets weep on thawing and the texture is lost.

Vanilla Panna Cotta Nutrition Facts

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: part of the energy comes from foods, or weights per item, with no recorded source. How the figures are worked out.