The nice thing about panna cotta is that it can be served in a wide variety of glasses, ramekins, or bowls they can be tilted and chilled allowing the dessert to take on different shapes or angles, it can also be inverted onto a plate much like flan.
This particular version of panna cotta is flavored with coffee and then topped off with a little espresso jelly adding to the dramatic effect of the dessert. It’s a very light dessert that can be served both formally or informally depending on your mood.
Keep in mind panna cotta can be eaten year around but summer time is an excellent time of year to enjoy this dessert because it is served chilled making it very refreshing on warm days.
Ingredients
Espresso Jelly
- 1⁄4 cup freshly made espresso
- 1⁄2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 3⁄4 teaspoon powdered gelatin (Knox brand)
- 2 tablespoons water
Coffee Panna Cotta
- 1 1⁄2 cups whipping cream (not heavy whipping cream)
- 1⁄2 cup milk
- 1⁄4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine (Knox brand is great)
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1⁄2 cup coffee room temperature
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Jelly Espresso
- Combine the water and gelatin in a small ramekin allowing the gelatin to “bloom” for 2-3 minutes. Make an espresso, sweeten with brown sugar then immediately pour the gelatin mixture making sure it dissolves completely. Pour this mix into 4 coffee cups, 4 espresso cups, or 4 1⁄2 oz ramekins.
- Refrigerate for 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours until the gelatin sets completely.
Coffee Pana Cotta
- Combine the water and gelatin in a small bowl, allow gelatin to “bloom” 2-3 minutes.
- In a small pot combine the sugar, milk, whipping cream, and vanilla. Place on stove and heat on medium heat gently stirring so that milk does not burn at the bottom of the pot. Do this until the milk just begins to boil.
- Remove from the heat, pour in gelatin mixture, stir a few times then pour in the coffee then stir a few more times. Allow the panna cotta to cool completely (roughly 10-15 minutes). Pour into the cups containing espresso jelly. Chill for 2 hours.
- You can serve this dessert in the cups or you can invert the dessert onto a plate.
*If inverting onto a plate, be sure to pour hot water into a small bowl filled 1/4 of the way up. Place each ramekin/cup into the bowl with hot water for 30-45 seconds. Invert onto a plate then gently tap the bottom of the cup/ramekin until the panna cotta slides out.
Photo source: My Man’s Kitchen
