Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberries
Desserts · Serves 6 · Prep 20 min · Cook 10 min · Total 30 min
Cream barely set with gelatin so it trembles on the plate, perfumed with real vanilla bean and served with juicy macerated strawberries. Ten minutes at the stove, then the fridge does the rest.
Ingredients
The Panna Cotta
- 2 1/4 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin (1 envelope)
- 1/2 cup whole milk, divided
- 2 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste)
- 1 tsp neutral oil, for the ramekins
The Strawberries
- 1 lb strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Steps
The Panna Cotta
- Lightly oil six 6-oz ramekins if you plan to unmold them. Pour 3 tbsp of the milk into a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over it and let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes.
- In a saucepan, combine the cream, the rest of the milk, the sugar, salt and the vanilla seeds and pod. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the cream is steaming with small bubbles at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes; don't let it boil. Take it off the heat, steep for 10 minutes and remove the pod.
- Add the softened gelatin to the warm cream and stir until completely dissolved, about 1 minute; rewarm gently if it doesn't melt. Strain into a pitcher.
- Let it cool for 15 minutes, stirring now and then so the vanilla seeds stay suspended. Pour into the ramekins, cover and refrigerate until set with a gentle wobble, at least 4 hours or overnight.
The Strawberries
- Toss the strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice and let them sit until juicy, 20 to 30 minutes.
- To unmold, run a thin knife around each panna cotta, dip the ramekin in hot water for 5 to 10 seconds and turn it out onto a plate with a gentle shake. Spoon the strawberries and their syrup around it.