Sweet, creamy, and luscious, this Panna Cotta with Berry Sauce is incredibly easy to make yet elegant and delicious. You’re going to love the combo of sweet and creamy panna cotta and tart berry sauce!
Panna Cotta with Berry Sauce
Today I bring you a luscious Italian dessert: Panna Cotta with berry sauce!
This is one of those desserts that just screams “candle-lit roof top jacuzzi with my lover and good food” to me, so I particularly recommend it for date nights and Valentine’s Day but, of course, it’s great on every occasion.
The best thing about it is how actually easy to make it is and given the fact that it needs to chill and set, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert to impress someone!
Why you’ll love this dessert:
- Sweet and tangy. Panna Cotta is all about that creamy sweet flavor, now enter the berry sauce which is bold and tart and you have the perfect combo!
- Velvety texture. This dessert feels so expensive and rich because of it’s silky-smooth, velvety, melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you enjoy flan, you’re going to love this one!
- Easy to make. Panna Cotta only calls for 5 ingredients and relies on good-ol’ gelatin to set so it’s actually very easy to make and beginner-friendly!
- Make-Ahead. This is *the* perfect make-ahead dessert as it needs time to chill before it sets! Great for parties, Holidays, and busy days.
- Customizable. Not a fan of berries? Top it with mango, fresh strawberries, Colombian Pineapple Sauce, dulce de leche, caramel, melted chocolate, or whatever you wish!
What is Panna Cotta?
“Panna Cotta” means “cooked cream” in Italian which is essentially what Panna Cotta is all about: cooked cream sweetened with sugar, flavored with vanilla, and thickened with gelatin.
It sounds, looks, and tastes elevated but it’s just about one of the easiest desserts out there!
Fun fact: Panna cotta was invented in Piedmont (northern Italy) but no one knows exactly when!
Panna Cotta Ingredients
Water. For dissolving the gelatin.
Gelatin. You want to use unflavored gelatin for this recipe, of course. This ingredient makes this dessert not suitable for vegetarian and anyone that doesn’t eat pork. If you’re looking for a gelatin-free dessert that’s similar to Panna Cotta, I recommend Colombian Natilla which is essentially the same concept but thickened with cornstarch and made with milk instead of cream (it’s SOOO good!).
Heavy cream, the star of the show. Both heavy and whipping cream work for this recipe.
Sugar. Use white granulated sugar.
Vanilla extract for flavoring. You can also add different extracts on top or in place of vanilla such as coconut (my favorite), orange blossom water, almond, or rose water.
Mixed berries for the sauce. You can choose you favorites or what’s in season. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and even cherries or sour cherries are all great options and you can make your own mix adding more or less of the ones you like best! I did raspberries and blueberries for this one and added some sour cherries on top which is totally optional, I just happened to have some on hand.
Lemon juice for some tart and to help the sauce keep for longer.
How do you make Panna Cotta?
STEP ONE: Prepare the gelatin. In a small saucepan, add the gelatin and cold water and mix. Set aside for a minute then place over low heat and allow the gelatin to melt and dissolve completely. Once the gelatin has dissolved, turn off the heat and set aside.
STEP TWO: Make the Panna Cotta. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the heavy cream and sugar and stir. Allow the mixture to come to a slow boil, stirring continuously to keep it from sticking to the saucepan. Once boiling, turn off the heat, and pour in the gelatin mixture and vanilla extract. Stir until completely combined.
STEP THREE: Pour into ramekins. Pour the Panna Cotta into 4 glass cups, glasses, or ramekins. Allow to cool down to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to set for 2-4 hours or overnight (recommended). Meanwhile, make the berry sauce.
STEP FOUR: Make the berry sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring frequently, until the berries form a thick sauce (about 4-5 minutes). Strain through a fine-meshed sieve for a smoother texture (optional). Allow to cool down to room temperature before using as topping.
STEP FIVE: Serve. Remove the Panna Cotta from the refrigerator, allow to sit on the counter for about 10 minutes, then top with a generous amount of your prepared berry sauce, and serve. While Panna Cotta is supposed to be served cold, straight-from-the-fridge cold is a bit too much as it tends to erase its creamy flavor.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes. Actually, Panna Cotta has to be made in advance because it needs at least few hours to set. I recommend making Panna Cotta 1 day ahead of time for best flavor.
How long does homemade panna cotta last?
Homemade panna cotta keeps for 3-4 days when stored tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
HAPPY BAKING!! I hope you'll love this Panna Cotta With Berries as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💖
More luscious desserts you’ll enjoy:
- Colombian Natilla (Milk Pudding with Dulce De Leche)
- Guava Cheesecake
- Coconut Rice Pudding
- Caramel Apple Roses
Panna Cotta with Berry Sauce
Ingredients
For The Panna Cotta
- 2 tbsp (15 ml) cold water
- 2 and 1/2 tsp (7 g) powdered unflavored gelatin
- 3 cups (750 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For The Berry Sauce
- 2 cups (190 g) mixed berries of choice (I used blueberries and raspberries but strawberries, blackberries, and even cherries and sour cherries also work)
- 1/4 cup (50 g) white granulated sugar (or adjust depending on berries used)
- 1/2 tbsp (7 ml) lemon juice
- Fresh berries (optional, for decorating, I used sour cherries)
Instructions
- Prepare the gelatin. In a small saucepan, add the gelatin and cold water and mix. Set aside for a minute then place over low heat and allow the gelatin to melt and dissolve completely. Once the gelatin has dissolved, turn off the heat and set aside.
- Make the Panna Cotta. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the heavy cream and sugar and stir. Allow the mixture to come to a slow boil, stirring continuously to keep it from sticking to the saucepan. Once boiling, turn off the heat, and pour in the gelatin mixture and vanilla extract. Stir until completely combined.
- Pour into ramekins. Pour the Panna Cotta into 4 glass cups, glasses, or ramekins. Allow to cool down to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to set for 2-4 hours or overnight (recommended). Meanwhile, make the berry sauce.
- Make the berry sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring frequently, until the berries form a thick sauce (about 4-5 minutes). Strain through a fine-meshed sieve for a smoother texture (optional). Allow to cool down to room temperature before using as topping.
- Serve. Remove the Panna Cotta from the refrigerator, allow to sit on the counter for about 10 minutes, then top with a generous amount of your prepared berry sauce, and serve. While Panna Cotta is supposed to be served cold, straight-from-the-fridge cold is a bit too much as it tends to erase its creamy flavor.
Notes
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Nutrition
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