Bloody eyes panna cotta: the dessert that stares back at you!
As Halloween approaches, the perfect dessert must be not only delicious but also… terrifying! If you’re tired of the usual ghost-shaped cookies, it’s time to raise the “culinary horror” factor. Today we prepare Bloody Eyes Panna Cotta, a shockingly creamy and scenic spoon dessert that will leave your guests open-mouthed (and maybe a little horrified!). The base is a classic and velvety vanilla panna cotta, perfect for recreating the white of the eye. But the real stroke of genius is the decoration: a compact panna cotta hemisphere that, once unmolded and placed on a bed of scarlet sauce, transforms into an eyeball complete with red veins.
The contrast between the sweetness of the panna cotta and the acidity of the black cherry syrup (our “blood”) is simply divine. Don’t worry, the procedure is much simpler than it seems; the important thing is to get the right molds and carefully follow the chilling times. Get ready to serve the most talked-about dessert of the evening, guaranteed!
Below are other Halloween recipes:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 6 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: Halloween
- Energy 482.23 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 45.42 (g) of which sugars 35.98 (g)
- Proteins 2.87 (g)
- Fat 32.28 (g) of which saturated 0.38 (g)of which unsaturated 0.22 (g)
- Fibers 0.12 (g)
- Sodium 0.93 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 415 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
- 2.5 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 sheets gelatin sheets
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (extract or 1 pod)
- to taste syrupy cherries
- 2/3 cup cherry syrup
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (leveled)
- to taste red food coloring
- to taste water (cold)
Tools
- Saucepan Lagostina Every Fonda Casserole Ø 14 cm in Stainless Steel 18/10 with Lagoseal Plus Base, Satin Exterior and Large Handles, Suitable for All Heat Sources, Including Induction
- Whisk Fackelmann Kitchen Whisk, Stainless Steel, Silver, 28 x 6 x 6 cm
- Silicone hemisphere molds 3 Pieces Silicone Hemisphere Mold, 35 Small Cavities, Small Spheres, Hemispheres, for Chocolate, Chocolates, Cakes, Jellies
- Brush Set of 5 Fine Painting Brushes, Fine Brushes for Acrylic, Watercolor, Oil and Modeling, Miniature Thin Brush for Precision Retouching
Steps for bloody eyes panna cotta
The Panna Cotta (Base and Eyes)
Soften the Gelatin: Put the gelatin sheets in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of cold water for about 10 minutes until they become soft.
Heat the Cream: In a saucepan, pour the heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla flavor. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. You don’t need to boil the cream, just warm it up. Turn off the heat.
Dissolve the Gelatin: Squeeze the softened gelatin sheets well to remove excess water. Add them to the saucepan with the hot cream and stir vigorously until completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool slightly.
Create the Eyes: Pour some of the panna cotta mixture into the silicone hemisphere molds (your eye molds). Place a syrupy cherry (the pupil) in the center of each hemisphere. Transfer the molds immediately to the refrigerator and let set for at least 4 hours (better overnight).
Prepare the Base: Pour the remaining panna cotta into dessert cups. Put them in the refrigerator to set as well.
Prepare the Syrup: If you want a thicker and more viscous consistency for the fake “blood,” slightly heat the cherry syrup (or raspberry) in a saucepan.
Thicken (Optional): Dissolve the teaspoon of cornstarch in a tablespoon of cold water, then pour it into the hot syrup. Simmer for a minute while stirring until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Pour the Blood: When serving, pour a couple of tablespoons of this cold syrup onto the already set panna cotta in the cups, letting it drip down the sides for a more dramatic effect.
Unmold the Eyes: Gently remove the panna cotta hemispheres from the silicone molds (if necessary, you can quickly run the bottom of the mold under hot water to facilitate removal).
Position: Place each “eyeball” in the center of the panna cotta in the cup, on the bed of red sauce.
Paint the Veins: Use a toothpick or a very fine artist’s brush dipped in red gel food coloring to draw irregular veins and capillaries on the white surface of each eye. Be precise but not too symmetrical: irregularity makes it more eerie!
Tips, notes for bloody eyes panna cotta
Creating bloody eyes panna cotta that look like they just jumped out of a horror movie set requires a few chef tricks. The first secret lies in the consistency: to unmold a perfect hemisphere, the panna cotta must be firm, so don’t be shy with the gelatin sheets or agar-agar! To achieve the “eyeball” effect, I highly recommend using silicone hemisphere molds (those for truffles or cake pops are perfect). Once the white base has set, the artistic moment arrives.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How to prepare fake blood?
The gruesome red sauce that simulates blood is nothing more than cherry syrup, perhaps slightly thickened with a pinch of cornstarch for a more viscous and realistic texture. Placing a generous spoonful of syrup at the bottom of the cup is the first step. But it’s the veins that make the difference! After placing the eye on the panna cotta, use a very fine toothpick dipped in red gel food coloring to gently draw the capillaries on the white surface. This precision touch will transform your dessert into a true work of art… creepy! Don’t forget the black pupil, which can be made with a syrupy cherry or a drop of melted dark chocolate.
