I have a long history with panna cotta. I figure I’ve made at least 1,000 batches, because it has been on the dessert menu of every restaurant I’ve ever worked at. No wonder: Panna cotta is pure in flavor, endlessly adaptable, and ridiculously easy to make. It is also prepared in advance. Each of these perks makes it a recipe that all cooks should know.
Panna cotta (Italian for “cooked cream”) is made by setting sugar-sweetened cream and often milk, yogurt, or buttermilk with gelatin to produce a luscious, wobbly, opaque dessert with a clean, milky taste. The usual procedure is to warm the dairy with sugar and then stir in bloomed gelatin until it dissolves. The mixture is then divided among ramekins, chilled for at least 6 hours, and unmolded (it’s also lovely served straight from small glasses).
As easy as panna cotta is to make, you still need to use just the right ratio of ingredients to achieve the perfect lush consistency. Also, the gelatin must be handled properly: Too much yields a firm, rubbery mass, and if there is too little or it is mishandled, you’ll end up with dessert soup.
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