Vanilla bean panna cotta recipe (2024)

What's the history of panna cotta?

Many cuisines have their own versions of set cream desserts; be it crème caramel, crème brulee, bavarois or blancmange. Panna cotta is Italy’s contribution. Like tiramisu, it is only a recent addition to Italy’s desserts, with there being no record of it prior to the 1960’s. The region of Piedmont proudly claims it as its own. It hit the restaurant scene here in Australia in the 90’s, appearing on the menu of all the top ‘Mod Oz’ (modern Australian) restaurants at the time.

What is gelatine?

Do you really want to know? Okay. Gelatine (spelt gelatin in the US) is made of a protein called collagen which is found in the muscles, skin, tendons and bones of animals, usually cows and pigs. When heated with water, collagen partly dissolves and becomes sticky, eventually turning into gelatine. Gelatine is flavourless and colourless which makes it a perfect setting agent when added to desserts. Unless, of course, you are vegetarian or you culturally can’t eat pork. Vegetarian options include carrageenan and agar, both of which are extracted from algae. Gelatine is sold granulated and as sheets. When using gelatine you first have to hydrate it by soaking it in water. This is referred to as “blooming”. If you add the gelatine straight to your mixture it will become lumpy and grainy.

How do I know when my panna cotta has set?

They say a perfect panna cotta is set with a bit of gelatine and a lot of faith. The cream mixture should be barely holding together, just enough so it is solid, but only just. A properly set panna cotta should quiver when gently shaken. When there’s too much gelatine, the custard feels stiff and cheesy. Too little and, well, you’ve got a puddle on the plate when you unmold it. This recipe has the perfect ratio of gelatine to liquid. Do follow it carefully and you’ll have a panna cotta set to perfection.

Can I use vanilla extract in my panna cotta?

Vanilla bean is the star of this recipe. Not technically a bean, vanilla is the fruit of an orchid. Pollinating, harvesting and curing is all done by hand, and this comes at a price. Some recipes deserve the splurge and this is one. When the vanilla bean is split and scraped into the cream mixture its tiny seeds not only perfume the pannacotta, the black flecks are part of its visual appeal. Using a vanilla extract, even a good quality one, just won’t cut it. Luckily, we now have vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract with seeds. While not super cheap they are a more budget-friendly option and will give the classic appearance of a vanilla bean panna cotta.

What are the most popular flavours of panna cotta?

Because panna cotta is at its essence just milk and cream it is a blank canvas for nearly any flavour you want. While vanilla is the traditional flavour, chocolate, caramel, rum and coffee are all popular. Panna cotta is not just sweet either. The cream mixture also melds beautifully with cheese, with parmesan, gruyere and blue cheese all turning up. Serve these as an entrée or instead of a cheese platter.

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