How to Make a Pannacotta Mold

Serve panna cotta with fresh fruit.

Panna cotta is a dessert made from cream, gelatin and sugar. Topped with fresh berries, sliced fruit, glaze, jam or caramel sauce, panna cotta is a smooth, creamy, refreshing summer treat. If you make it with soft tofu and fruit pectin, vegans or anyone with milk sensitivities can also enjoy this creamy dessert. It is just as easy to mold panna cotta as it is to mold regular gelatin.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 cup room-temperature milk, soy milk, rice milk or almond milk
• 1 envelope plain gelatin or dried fruit pectin
• 2 cups heavy cream or 2 blocks soft tofu
• 1/2-cup sugar plus 1-cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 8 oz sour cream, optional
• Zest of one whole lemon
• 2 to 4 cups sliced fresh fruit or berries
• 1-cup red wine or 2 cups concentrated grape juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Single-serve ramekins or individual-size gelatin molds
• Decorative soup plates

Instructions

Full-Dairy Panna Cotta

1. Sprinkle one envelope of gelatin over 1/2-cup room temperature milk until the gelatin softens and you can stir it into the liquid.

2. Stir the gelatin/milk mixture into 2 cups heavy cream in a 4-qt saucepan. Stir in 1/2-cup sugar and 1/4-cup honey. Heat mixture until it bubbles while stirring constantly, but do not allow it to come to a boil.

3. Remove the cream mixture from heat and allow to cool for five minutes. Empty an 8-oz container of sour cream into a large mixing bowl. Stir the cream mixture into the sour cream 1/2-cup at a time until smooth.

4. Strain the mixture to remove any lumps of undissolved gelatin. Mix the zest of one whole lemon into the cream mixture before it cools. Stir in 1/2-cup berries or sliced fresh fruit. Reserve remaining fruit to top your panna cotta.

5. 

   Mold panna cotta in ramekins...

   Pour panna cotta mixture into individual ramekins or gelatin molds. Place in refrigerator and allow to set until firm.

Non-Dairy/Vegan Panna Cotta

1. Sprinkle 1 package dried fruit pectin over 1/2-cup room temperature soy milk, rice milk or almond milk until it softens and will stir into the liquid.

2. 

   Tofu is not just for Asian recipes...

   Mash two blocks of soft tofu with a fork. Add soy milk, rice milk or almond milk one teaspoon at a time until the mixture is a little thicker than heavy cream. Stir the fruit pectin/soy milk mixture into the softened tofu mixture.

3. Pour the fruit pectin/tofu mixture into a 4-qt saucepan. Add 1/2-cup sugar and 1/4-cup honey. Heat the mixture until it bubbles while stirring constantly, but do not allow it to come to a boil.

4. 

   Lemon zest adds zing to panna cotta.

   Add the lemon zest to the cream mixture before it cools. Stir in 1/2-cup berries or sliced fresh fruit. Reserve remaining fruit to top your non-dairy panna cotta.

5. Mist ramekins or gelatin molds with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in panna cotta mixture. Place in refrigerator and allow to set until firm.

6. Dip the bottom of each ramekin or mold in hot water for one to two minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the ramekin to loosen the panna cotta from the sides. Cover with a plate and invert. Tap the mold once or twice and remove it. Top your panna cotta with the remaining fruit.

Tips & Warnings

• While the panna cotta is chilling, make a sauce for the remaining fruit by mixing 1-cup sugar with 2 cups of wine or concentrated grape juice. Use red wine for cherries, strawberries, red or black raspberries and red currants. Substitute white wine or dark rum for peaches, apricots, nectarines, mango, white grapes or gooseberries. Add the juice from one whole lemon. Bring mixture to a rolling boil for five minutes. Stir in the fruit. Poach fruit in the wine sauce for 2 full minutes. Pour fruit and sauce over your panna cotta after it has been unmolded onto plates.

References

• Splendid Table Public Radio: Lynne Rosetto Kasper's Panna Cotta
• Linda Stradley's What's Cooking America: Panna Cotta
• Jam World: Pectin