Best Ever Panna Cotta, a popular Italian dessert which is made with milk, cream, sugar, gelatin or agar agar and vanilla extract. Delicious soft set jelly like panna cotta is made using just few ingredients which taste absolutely divine like my caramel custard. Serve soft set panna cotta with chocolate sauce or any fruit compote for a show stopping dessert. In this blog post, I have shared the best vanilla panna cotta recipe made with agar agar and gelatin (two method) with step by step pictures and video.
Panna Cotta
I always wanted to post a basic panna cotta recipe. This panna cotta turned super creamy and so delicious. I had some leftover compote from my churros, so I topped my panna cotta with that and the combination is like heaven. Can you believe I had two servings at a time. It is that good! Yum!
What is Panna cotta made of?
Panna cotta is an Italian dessert which is also known as milk dessert or cooked cream. It is equally popular like the pick me up dessert tiramisu. The real taste of a panna cotta comes from the milk and cream which we use. Make sure you use best quality milk and cream while making panna cotta. Also you have to use full fat milk and cream for best results. Mean while check my caramel custard and flan recipe.
The Ingredients for making panna cotta is very basic and minimal. You need full fat milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and some kind of setting agent like agar agar or gelatin. In this blog post, I have shared two ways of making panna cotta with gelatin and with agar agar.
My favourite method for making panna cotta is using agar agar powder which is easy and very straight forward. It also gives the perfect set jiggly wiggly panna cotta. But I have made with gelatin too which I have included in this blog post.
Check out my other panna cotta recipe
Watch Panna cotta Video
About Panna Cotta (Vanilla Panna Cotta)
My ratio for making this delicious vanilla panna cotta is equal parts milk and cream. Some recipe uses higher amount of cream to milk. But I find that using equal ratio of milk and cream gives the perfect creamy panna cotta. Also there are few more tips and tricks to get perfect set on the dessert. Make sure you follow this fail-proof recipe.
In this recipe, I have made vanilla panna cotta which is most popular than other flavours. I used my best ever vanilla bean paste from Madagascar for this recipe, because I really wanted the vanilla flavour to shine. If you want to go the extra mile, you can use my homemade vanilla bean paste.
Panna cotta is my absolute favourite desert. It is similar to pudding but it is lot more silkier than pudding and just melt in your mouth. One important thing you have to remember is not to add too much gelatin or agar agar powder than mentioned which will affect the panna cotta’s bouncy texture.
Vanilla Panna cotta Ingredients
Cream – Panna cotta is also known as milk dessert. So try to use the best quality cream you can afford. I used milky mist cream, but you can use Amul heavy cream too. I found the one in carton is more effective.
Milk – Use full fat milk in this recipe. You cannot use low fat milk or toned milk which will not provide the proper creamy texture.
Sugar – this dessert is usually served with some kind of sauce like chocolate sauce or a fruit compote which is sweet. So you don’t need to use too much sugar in the custard. Refined sugar is preferred.
Agar Agar Powder – China grass also known as agar agar. It is vegetarian setting agent popularly used in making puddings, jelly and set desert. You just need a little amount for this recipe which I have mentioned. Don’t add too much agar agar than mentioned which will affect the bouncy texture.
Vanilla – This is vanilla bean panna cotta, So I used my best ever vanilla bean paste from Madagascar for this recipe, because I really wanted the vanilla flavour to shine. If you want to go the extra mile, you can use a vanilla bean paste or homemade vanilla extract.
Panna Cotta with Agar Agar & Gelatin
You can make vanilla panna cotta with both agar agar and gelatin. There are only few changes you have to do to adapt this recipe for gelatin. I have shared details below. But first lets learn about agar agar and gelatin.
What is Agar Agar?
Agar agar is completely plant based gelatin derived from seaweed. It is a vegan product used in sweets and dessert. Many asian pudding and jelly uses agar agar as main ingredient. You can easily find agar agar powder online. I use this brand of agar agar powder.
What is Gelatin?
Gelatin or gelatine is a translucent, colorless, flavorless thickening ingredient, derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. Usually it is used to set pudding, jelly and many desserts. This is one of the main ingredient in making gummy bears and candies.
My favourite method for making panna cotta is using agar agar powder which is easy and very straight forward. It also gives the perfect set jiggly wiggly panna cotta. But I have made with gelatin which I have included in this blog post. I have shared step by step pictures of making panna cotta with gelatin below this post. So make sure you ready the complete recipe.
Panna cotta Moulds & Presentation
Panna cotta can be served multiple different ways. You can play with your creativity while setting or plating panna cotta. I like to use my pudding moulds for panna cotta which are individual servings. But if you don’t have pudding moulds, You can use any of these ways to set and serve your dessert.
Using Ramekins & Small Bowls – If you don’t have pudding moulds like the one I used. Use ceramic ramekins or any small bowls for setting. You might need to grease the moulds with very little oil for the panna cotta to release easily.
Wine Glass, Martini Glass or Cups – If you are scared of un moulding panna cotta. You can serve them directly in serving glass. Use any of your pretty glassware which are individual size for setting and serving panna cotta. You can directly pour the sauce over the pudding and serve in the glass. You can check my coffee panna cotta for idea.
Tilted panna cotta – Line a baking pan or loaf pan with a kitchen towel and place the glasses slightly tilted over the edge of the pan. Fill the glasses with the panna cotta mixture, you can do this step in the fridge. Allow the tilted panna cotta mixture to set for few hours before pouring the sauce or topping. This will result in a tilted looking panna cotta.
Silicon Moulds – You can use mini silicon cupcake liners for setting panna cotta. These are easy to un mould and looks pretty.
Layered Panna cotta – you can see my mango panna cotta recipe, where I have used two flavours. You have to allow one layer to set before pouring the second layer.
Variations & Flavours
My love for this dessert made me create different flavour combos which I have shared in this blog. Other than this you can make panna cotta in any flavour you like. Just stick to this simple measurements and recipe, tweak it a little, add any of your favourite flavours and you are good to go.
Here are some of my most favourite.
Strawberry Panna cotta – this recipe has fresh strawberry puree added into the pudding and it is served with a delicious strawberry sauce. Perfect dessert for valentines day.
Layered Mango Panna cotta – Two layered panna cotta with mango and vanilla makes an impressing dessert.
Coffee Panna cotta – This is for my coffee lovers, you are in for a treat. Enjoy this jiggly coffee panna cotta and carry on!
Why my panna cotta is not setting?
There are few reason why your panna cotta is not setting. Here I have shared all the reasons so you can trouble shoot.
Temperature – Your milk-cream mixture didn’t reach the proper temperature, which didn’t activate the agar agar powder for setting. You have to heat the mixture till you see steam coming from the top of the mixture. It will take around 10 minutes on the lowest heat. Also make sure you keep mixing them so it doesn’t burn at the bottom.
Add extra agar agar or gelatin – try heating it up again, adding a little bit of extra gelatin. Never let it boil over. Always cook panna cotta mix on the lowest heat.
Some flavours never set – Some fruits such as pineapple or kiwi contain enzymes that break down the gelatin so it never sets. So I recommend not using those flavours in panna cotta.
Setting agent didn’t melt – another reason is the setting agent didn’t get a chance to melt completely. If you are using Agar agar powder, you have keep cooking them on low heat till it is completely melted and the mixture looks creamy. If you are using gelatin, bloom the gelatin for at least 10 minutes in cold water before mixing in the hot cream and mix well.
How to Make Panna Cotta (Stepwise Pictures)
Vegetarian Panna Cotta (with Agar Agar)
Mixing Panna cotta mix
1)Take cream in a sauce pan. Panna cotta is also known as milk dessert. So try to use the best quality cream you can afford. I used milkymist cream, but you can use Amul heavy cream too. I found the one in carton is more effective.
2)Pour in full fat milk. This is a rich dessert, so you have to use full fat milk.
3)Add sugar into the milk cream mixture. This recipe is served with some kind of fruit sauce or compote. So it doesn’t need much sugar. For 2 cups of these liquid, I added 3 tbsp of sugar.
Pro Tip: You can increase the sugar to ⅓ cup if you prefer sweeter dessert.
Panna cotta with agar agar
4)I used agar agar powder for setting this panna cotta. You just need a little amount for this recipe which I have mentioned. Don’t add too much agar agar than mentioned which will affect the bouncy texture.
5)I used ½ tsp of agar agar powder into the cream and milk mixture.
6)Mix the cream, milk, sugar and agar agar mixture till it is combined. It has to be evenly mixed before heat is applied.
Cooking Panna Cotta Mix
7)Place the sauce pan on low heat and keep whisking gently until the agar agar melts completely.
8)Make sure the heat is low as possible. Keep cooking until the milk starts to steam. Keep whisking all the time so the agar agar melts and evenly distributes into the cream.
Temperature of Panna cotta mix
9)You will see steam on the top of the milk mixture. Also the sides will start to bubble and the mix has to be hot without boiling. Panna cotta mixture shouldn’t boil.
Flavouring Panna cotta mix
10)Now take the mixture off the heat and add in pure vanilla bean paste. Use best quality vanilla for maximum flavour.
11)Whisk this whole thing together till vanilla is combined with milk and cream.
12)The mixture will look thick and creamy as well.
13)You can see the vanilla bean dispersed all over the custard. If you want, you can use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove the bubbles off the top. but that is not necessary.
Setting Panna cotta
14)I used my mini pudding moulds. Wash the moulds well and makes sure it is wet. This helps release the pudding easily once set.
Pour the panna cotta mix carefully into the moulds. Don’t over fill the mould, else it may spill.
15)I got 5 portion of panna cotta. This mould is around 100 to 120 ml in capacity which is great for single serving. Now carefully place the pudding mould in fridge and allow them to set for 4 hours or overnight.
Make Strawberry Sauce
16)This is a no cook strawberry sauce. Instead of strawberry you can use raspberry, blueberry or even blackberry.
You will need 1 cup strawberries, 3 tbsp icing sugar (confectioners sugar) and 2 tsp of lemon juice.
17)Take strawberry, icing sugar in a blender.
18)Add in lemon juice and little water to make into a smooth puree. The mix has to be thick and pouring consistency.
You can strain the mixture if you want. But i didn’t strain it.
19)Your strawberry sauce is ready. You can store the sauce in fridge upto 3 to 4 days.
Unmoulding Panna cotta
20)This is how the vanilla panna cotta looks once it is set in fridge overnight.
21)You can use a spoon to gently ease the sides of the mould to release the panna cotta from the mould.
Plating Vanilla Panna cotta
22)Place the panna cotta on a serving plate. Gently remove the mould. If the panna cotta is not releasing from the mould, it is probably because there is air lock. So gently ease the sides of the pudding again, it should pop right out.
You can see the specks of vanilla through out the panna cotta makes it so vanilla!
23)Drizzle the strawberry sauce around the pudding and enjoy cold.
Panna cotta with Gelatin
You can make vanilla panna cotta with both agar agar and gelatin. There are only few changes you have to do to adapt this recipe for gelatin. I have shared details below.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk
- ½ cup Cream
- 1 tsp Gelatin
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 tbsp Water
1)Take water in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the water and let it sit for 10 minutes for the gelatin to bloom.
2)Now take milk in a sauce pan, sprinkle sugar on top. Bring it to a simmer. Don’t let it boil.
4)Now take if of the heat and add in the soaked gelatin and mix till combined. Pour in cream and mix well.
5)Add in vanilla extract and mix well. This is your panna cotta mixture.
6)Pour it in individual moulds and place in fridge to set overnight.
7)Pour it into small mould and place it in fridge overnight To unmould, gently release the sides of the panna cotta using a butter knife or Dip it in warm water for just 5 seconds. Un mould it carefully in serving plate.
8)Serve with berry compote and caramelized nuts.
9)Enjoy.
Expert Tips
Quality – Panna cotta is also known as milk dessert. So try to use the best quality cream and milk you can afford. Higher the fat, creamy the dessert will be.
Cooking Temperature – Your milk-cream mixture should reach the proper temperature, which didn’t activate the agar agar powder for setting. You have to heat the mixture till you see steam coming from the top of the mixture. It will take around 10 minutes on the lowest heat. Also make sure you keep mixing them so it doesn’t burn at the bottom.
Never Boil the Mix – You should never boil the panna cotta mixture. You have to cook the mix on the lowest heat possible.
Quantity of Setting Agent is Important – Too much gelatin or agar agar can ruin the panna cotta. If you have added too much setting agent then the panna cotta will turn firm and dense. Use the mentioned amount of setting agent which will results in perfect set.
Adjust Sweetness – Depending on what you are planning to serve your panna cotta with, you can adjust the sweetness. Add more or less sugar as needed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with any homemade dessert sauces.
FAQ
Can I use agar agar in panna cotta?
My favourite method for making panna cotta is using agar agar powder which is easy and very straight forward. It also gives the perfect set jiggly wiggly panna cotta. But I have made with gelatin too which I have included in this blog post.
Can I use gelatin in panna cotta?
Yes gelatin is one of the most popular setting agent used for panna cotta. You have to bloom the gelatin first in cold water before adding into the hot cream. Don’t boil the mixture once gelatin is added
What is the ratio for panna cotta?
My ratio for making this delicious vanilla panna cotta is equal parts milk and cream. Some recipe uses higher amount of cream to milk. But I find that using equal ratio of milk and cream gives the perfect creamy panna cotta. For 2 cups of liquid, you will need ½ tsp of agar agar powder or 1 tsp gelatin.
Why my panna cotta is not setting?
There are few reason why your panna cotta is not setting. Here I have shared all the reasons so you can trouble shoot. Your milk-cream mixture didn’t reach the proper temperature, which didn’t activate the agar agar powder for setting. You have to heat the mixture till you see steam coming from the top of the mixture
Try heating it up again, adding a little bit of extra gelatin. Never let it boil over. Always cook panna cotta mix on the lowest heat.
Why is my panna cotta too firm?
Too much gelatin or agar agar can ruin the panna cotta. If you have added too much setting agent then the panna cotta will turn firm and dense.
Why my panna cotta is watery or runny?
Best quality and high fat cream or milk is essential for making panna cotta which makes the panna cotta sets properly without leaving out water. If your cream or milk contains more water content, then panna cotta may leave out water.
Is panna cotta same as pudding?
Panna cotta is my absolute favourite desert. It is similar to pudding but it is lot more silkier than pudding and just melt in your mouth. One important thing you have to remember is not to add too much gelatin or agar agar powder than mentioned which will affect the panna cotta’s bouncy texture.
More Pudding Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe Card
Panna cotta | Vanilla Panna Cotta Recipe (with Agar Agar & Gelatin)
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 265kcal
Equipment
Sauce Pan
Pudding Moulds
Whisk & Spatula
Blender
Ingredients
Panna cotta with Agar Agar (Vegetarian Panna cotta)
Instructions
How to Make Panna cotta with Agar Agar (Vegetarian Panna cotta)
Video
Notes
Cooking Temperature – Your milk-cream mixture should reach the proper temperature, which didn’t activate the agar agar powder for setting. You have to heat the mixture till you see steam coming from the top of the mixture. It will take around 10 minutes on the lowest heat. Also make sure you keep mixing them so it doesn’t burn at the bottom.
You should never boil the panna cotta mixture. You have to cook the mix on the lowest heat possible.
Quantity of Setting Agent is Important – Too much gelatin or agar agar can ruin the panna cotta. If you have added too much setting agent then the panna cotta will turn firm and dense. Use the mentioned amount of setting agent which will results in perfect set.
Adjust Sweetness – Depending on what you are planning to serve your panna cotta with, you can adjust the sweetness. Add more or less sugar as needed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with any homemade dessert sauces.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 757IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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