GRANDMA’S PANNA COTTA RECIPE WITHOUT GELATIN
Panna cotta is a classic and timeless spoon dessert typical of Italian cuisine, particularly Piedmontese, made from cream and sugar which are normally thickened with gelatin sheets to create a fresh, velvety and creamy dessert with cream and vanilla flavors.
It has a uniquely indulgent taste: excellent plain but even more tempting when accompanied by various toppings such as fresh fruit, caramel, melted chocolate and much more.
Traditionally panna cotta is set in the cold by adding gelatin sheets to the warm cream-and-sugar mixture. But this is not the only way to make this delicious dessert. In fact, you can also prepare panna cotta without gelatin using egg whites to obtain the same result.
For this variation of the panna cotta recipe I relied on my grandmother’s recipe—my grandmother, of course—who, since in her day gelatin sheets were not so easy to find, adapted the original recipe and still obtained an excellent result that has nothing to envy from classic panna cotta, suitable for everyone and, she claims, even for vegans!
Preparing panna cotta without gelatin is really simple and within everyone’s reach. As mentioned, it requires just a few simple ingredients: heavy cream (liquid), whole milk (or just cream), sugar, vanilla (or vanillin) and egg whites instead of gelatin sheets to thicken the dessert.
Once all the ingredients are mixed you can choose to make single portions by pouring the panna cotta into the typical ramekins or into a single mold to unmold and slice later. At that point the panna cotta should be baked in a water bath so it can set without drying out.
The result is a comforting and compact panna cotta that remains soft and incredibly creamy and literally melts in your mouth.
After cooling in the refrigerator the dessert will be ready to unmold and serve, giving rise to a thousand tasty variations: from simple panna cotta with berry sauce, to panna cotta with chocolate glaze or salted caramel and much more.
All set then, because today we will prepare together grandma’s panna cotta recipe without gelatin, homemade and as good as store-bought — even better: guaranteed result!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 370.78 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 21.86 (g) of which sugars 21.55 (g)
- Proteins 4.42 (g)
- Fat 29.77 (g) of which saturated 0.76 (g)of which unsaturated 0.44 (g)
- Fibers 0.04 (g)
- Sodium 226.31 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
INGREDIENTS FOR PANNA COTTA (without gelatin)
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (liquid)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (or cream if you prefer to use only cream)
- egg whites egg whites (about 70 g (≈2.5 oz))
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (about 70 g (≈2.5 oz))
- 1/2 pod vanilla bean (or vanillin / vanilla extract)
- 1 pinch salt
- fresh fruit
- chocolate (melted)
- caramel
- jam / preserves
Tools
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- 4 Ramekins
- Baking pan
- Kettle
HOW TO PREPARE GRANDMA’S PANNA COTTA
A small tip to speed up the bain-marie cooking time for panna cotta: heat the water using a kettle; not only will you save gas (for traditional stoves) or electricity (if you have induction hobs), but you’ll get boiling water in about 1 minute. My favorite kettle that has become an essential part of my kitchen is the Ariete Vintage KETTLE (if you want to see it find the LINK HERE)
Pour the cream, whole milk (or just cream) and the seeds from the vanilla bean into a saucepan. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt and bring the mixture to just below boiling. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and let it cool until it reaches room temperature.
Once cooled, remove the vanilla pod. Separately, crack the eggs and measure out the egg whites (about 70 g). Whisk them briefly with a whisk to remove any stringy bits. Then add them directly into the saucepan and stir until everything is well combined.
Transfer the mixture into 4 molds (about 3/4 cup each), then place them in a deep baking pan. Pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches three-quarters of the height of the molds (be careful not to let water get into the panna cotta). Bake in a conventional oven at 320°F for 65 minutes or in a fan (convection) oven at 284°F for 60 minutes. The panna cotta should be set and have a light crust on the surface.
Once baked, remove the gelatin-free panna cotta from the oven and let them cool completely in the water bath. Then take them out and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to unmold, dip each mold in boiling water for a second, making sure no liquid enters the mold. Then invert the mold onto a serving plate and release the air pocket by gently sliding a small knife between the mold and the panna cotta. The same method applies if you used a single large mold.
For my panna cotta I chose a simple topping of caramel and some roasted peanuts, but you can also enrich it with strawberry jam and fresh strawberries, a mixed berry compote or melted dark chocolate.
In any case, this dessert is perfect for countless toppings depending on your taste and the season. For example: in summer decorate with fresh apricots or peaches—use either chopped fresh fruit or jellies/compotes.
In autumn or winter use oranges (marmalade or compote) or pomegranate jelly. And for the most indulgent, go for melted chocolate or liqueur toppings like whiskey cream.
NOTES AND TIPS
WHOLE MILK: This panna cotta recipe also uses whole milk. If you prefer the classic version made only with cream, you can use only heavy cream instead of milk. In that case the total cream to use will be about 1 3/4 cups (approx. 425 ml).
VANILLA POD: Instead of a vanilla bean you can use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a packet of vanillin.
MISTAKES TO AVOID TO GET A PERFECT PANNA COTTA
INGREDIENTS: Whether you decide to use only cream or a mixture of milk and cream, buy only high-quality ingredients. The cream must be fresh and of excellent quality, as should the milk. Always choose whole milk when preparing spoon desserts.
DO NOT OVERBOIL THE CREAM: the cream should not be overcooked. It must not boil, just heat up enough (as with the milk) to allow the sugar and gelatin (if using) to dissolve.
WATCH OUT FOR LUMPS: when preparing panna cotta, mix the ingredients well to incorporate them. The sugar and gelatin sheets (if following the classic recipe) must completely dissolve in the liquid. If in doubt, strain everything before pouring the mixture into the molds.
STORAGE
You can store panna cotta in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF PANNA COTTA
The origin of panna cotta is controversial. According to some, it is a lighter version of the French bavarois; for others, the ancestor of panna cotta would be a Sicilian dessert: biancomangiare. Legends also say it was born in the Langhe area by a lady of Hungarian origin.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How long does it take for panna cotta to set?
Place the panna cotta molds in the refrigerator and let them firm up for at least 2 hours. In this case the required time is shorter because it is first baked in a bain-marie. Before serving, dip each mold for a few moments in boiling water, then unmold immediately and serve plain, with caramel, melted chocolate, or a fruit coulis.
How can panna cotta be flavored?
To flavor panna cotta you can use the seeds of a vanilla bean or, if you prefer citrus notes, use lemon zest.
How do you release panna cotta from an aluminum mold?
To help unmold the dessert, dip the mold for a few seconds in boiling water (without wetting the panna cotta), invert it on a plate, give a light tap and the dessert should slide out.
Which mold should I use for panna cotta?
For easy unmolding, use high-quality silicone molds.
