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Panna Cotta

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Panna cotta is a no-brainer, sweetened cream thickened with gelatin. It has long been made with whatever dairy is around, and I think it’s far better when a certain amount of the cream is replaced by buttermilk. The result is more complex and not so stultifyingly rich.

Lemon Verbena Panna Cotta with Poached Peaches

There are fruit people, and there are chocolate people. Even chocolate people will lick their plates clean when presented with a refreshing, lemony panna cotta strewn with wine-steeped peaches. Panna cotta makes a nice spring and summertime dessert because it’s not so rich that you leave the table feeling stuffed, and the lemon verbena adds a welcome, herbaceous tang. This dish is perfect for company because the panna cotta must be made ahead, and the peaches “cook” while coming to room temperature.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries

This simple panna cotta is all about the tangy flavor of creamy buttermilk topped with a sweet-tart spoonful or two of bright red balsamic-glazed strawberries.

Pb & J

In the fall of 2008, Ssäm Bar needed a seasonal dessert, and Concord grapes were on the brain. Best man I know suggested I do a take on a pb & j, but my way, using techniques and perhaps a flavor that made sense but was unexpected. I chose the path of a panna cotta, made with milk steeped with the flavor of a saltine cracker: salty and soda-y—a poor man’s pb & j. People were going to love it or hate it. And that was perfectly fine with me, because I loved it, though the saltine milk is not for wussies.

Cereal Milk™ Panna Cotta

Generally speaking, you only need two ingredients to make a delicious panna cotta: flavored milk and gelatin. Salt and light brown sugar are added to the cereal milk in this recipe to deepen and sharpen the flavor of the panna cotta. The secret to a profesh panna cotta is just the right amount of gelatin: Just enough to hold it together. As little as possible, so that the second the panna cotta hits your mouth, it transforms into a silky river of flavored cream. So little that you wonder how the dessert held its shape in the first place. Serve the panna cotta with fresh fruit and/or Cornflake Crunch (page 51). Or layer it with Banana Cream (page 91) and Hazelnut Crunch (page 185).

Panna Cotta with Maple Syrup

I saw this on the menu at an Italian restaurant, and although I did not order it, I liked the idea of using a little of my own dark maple syrup to lend its flavor to the delicate, creamy custard. So I developed this recipe through trial and error. That’s another advantage of cooking something just for yourself: you’re the guinea pig, and you can work out all the nuances before you make the dish for company. This recipe makes enough for two, so either share it or treat yourself to a second helping later in the week.

Toasted-Almond Panna Cotta with Maple Roasted Pears

In the scheme of desserts, panna cotta is not only one of the lightest, it’s thankfully also one of the easiest and fastest to prepare. The eggless custard sets with gelatin, but what really matters is the quantity used. If you have a heavy hand, then the result is more like cement Jell-O than melt-in-your-mouth. The infusion of the almonds adds a nutty-creamy flavor that’s satisfying without being cloying. Roasted pears set the whole thing off with a balance of texture and fruitiness.

Cherry Stone Panna Cotta

This delicate, wobbling cream is perfumed with the mysterious cherry-almond essence contained in the kernel of the cherry pits—a reward for pitting the cherries.

Corn Panna Cotta

I’ve always considered corn a borderline fruit, so why not incorporate it into the pastry menu? Here I pair it with buttery Madeleine Sponge Cake, my adaptation of the classic seashell cake, with a shatteringly crisp sugar crust. And I pile on the garnishes: kettle corn and freeze-dried corn bring their own special crunch to the dessert, and they’re easy because you can find them readymade in good grocery stores. I use plastic tubes that I’ve had cut to my specifications when I make this panna cotta at the restaurant. You can, too, if you have access to a plastic supply shop; the tubes I use have a 1-inch diameter, and they’re 18 inches long. But you can also make the panna cotta in cannoli forms or muffin tins (see Make It Simpler).

Apricot Panna Cotta

When I go to the farmers’ markets in summer and see all the bounty, I start asking myself, “What can work with what?” and “What would balance that fruit?” Apricots and peppermint are both refreshing flavors. In this dessert, the mint livens the apricot, providing an herbal contrast to the natural sweetness of the fruit.

Fromage Blanc Panna Cotta

This dessert showcases the versatility of rhubarb, its acidity balanced by a silky, creamy cheese panna cotta. The recipe scales up quite easily if you want to make more for a crowd.

Chocolate Panna Cotta with Amaretto Whipped Cream

This is the chocolate lover’s answer to panna cotta. It’s quite similar to a mousse but the gelatin makes it a bit firmer.

Pumpkin Coconut Panna Cottas

The subtle taste of pumpkin merges effortlessly with coconut milk in this classic Italian dessert that provides a taste of fall flavors.

Lemon Pannacotta with Lemon Marmalade

"There are as many variations on this easy, classic dessert as there are fruits."—Jimmy Bannos, Jr.

Blood Orange Panna Cotta

The product: An orange that's streaked with red throughout and almost seedless.
The payoff: Sweet-tart flavor and pinkish-red color that come together in an easy, sophisticated dessert.

Corn Panna Cotta with Dulce de Leche

Both corn kernels and corn cobs are used to flavor the cream mixture that forms the base of this surprising dessert. The sweetness of the corn is great with the caramely sauce.

Cherry-Topped Almond Panna Cotta

Panna cotta is an Italian custard dessert. It's similar to pudding but is thickened with gelatin instead of egg yolks. This version is a velvety almond custard topped with fresh cherries and a candied almond garnish.

Buttermilk Pannacotta with Cinnamon-Caramel Sauce

A silky-smooth panna cotta with the tang of buttermilk, this dessert is wonderfully easy to pull off. Any leftover sauce would be great spooned over ice cream.