Panna Cotta Revisited

I like making Panna Cotta because it’s one of those old traditional dishes that you can update quite easily. By starting with a plain vanilla panna cotta and adding vibrant flavours, colourful garnishes or even tangy sauces, a new dessert is created. 

I included Orange White Chocolate Panna Cotta as part of my Cocktail Party Apps lesson I delivered the other night and it turned out great. The small portion size was just big enough to satisfy my sweet craving without being too much. I think everyone else felt the same way because they were all scraping out the tiny little cups we used so they could get every last spoonful.

I’ve mostly seen panna cotta served ‘unmolded’ but I like to serve it in a small serving dish of its own. For this one I used a tiny Maxwell Williams coffee cup that I picked up at a closing out sale last year. They hold about 4 oz maximum so I put 2 -3 oz of the mix into them so the berries fit nicely on top. And they come with a really cute spoon! A small brandy snifter or other clear glass also does well here because you can see that white creamy layer on the bottom with the bright berries sitting on top. Sometimes I make the berries, or other fruit garnish the dominant feature of the dessert. So you have fresh raspberries with lemon panna cotta, the panna cotta acting sort of as a sweet, silky cream for those delicious berries!

I’ve also served this portion size as part of a dessert plate to finish a nice meal. The size of the portion allows you to add home made cookies, a piece of cake or another type of fruit. The little serving vessel really adds to the appearance of the dessert.

Any way you serve it, any way you flavour it, it’s one of those desserts you can come back to time and again, making a different version or going back to a combination that you really liked. Try out a few different flavours for yourself. I’m sure you’ll love it!

   Orange White Chocolate Panna Cotta

    1 1/2 teaspoons unflavoured gelatine

    2 tablespoons whole milk

    ½ cup sugar

    1/8 teaspoon salt

    1 1/2 cups heavy cream

    zest of one orange

    1/4 cup fresh orange juice

    2 oz white chocolate chunks

    3/4 cup sour cream

1. Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften.

2. Whisk together sugar, salt, heavy cream, orange zest and orange juice and heat just until the boiling point. Don’t let the mixture boil.

3. Stir in the gelatin mixture and white chocolate and whisk until they are both dissolved. 

4. Mix in the sour cream and pour through a fine sieve into small wine glasses.

5. Chill until firm, at least 8 hours.

6. For service, add mixed berries to the glasses and serve.

Makes 12 little desserts suitable for a cocktail party or 6 larger size for dessert.