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Panna Cotta: Recipes & Techniques

Suvir Saran

By Suvir Saran
in Pastry & Baking

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DO'S

DO'S

Posted
Posted

Hi All,

I've recently being trying to perfect my Panna Cotta recipe.

The main problem I have is that my mixture develops a thick skin on the top after setting in the mould (which becomes the bottom when turned out onto a plate.)

I use 50/50 milk and cream... powerdered gelatin and vanilla pods. The mixture never comes to a boil in the pot and I let it cool for 30 mins or so before placing in the gelatin (absorbed in water prior).

I'm very happy with the overall texture and consistency of the set mixutre... there's no separation and it tastes good, it's just the pesky skin that forms on top.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions?

Cheers.

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ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted

This will likely get the plastic wrap police after me, but try putting some plastic wrap directly on the tops of the panna cotta and chill them with the plastic on top. That will stop the skin from forming.

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DO'S

DO'S

Posted
Posted

This will likely get the plastic wrap police after me, but try putting some plastic wrap directly on the tops of the panna cotta and chill them with the plastic on top. That will stop the skin from forming.

Thanks very much... I'll give it a try.

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  • 4 weeks later...
BeeZee

BeeZee

Posted
Posted

did you make it same day to serve? I'm thinking that would be good for Mother's Day dinner for my Mom, but I might need to make it a day before and I know sometimes yogurt "weeps"...

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted (edited)

did you make it same day to serve? I'm thinking that would be good for Mother's Day dinner for my Mom, but I might need to make it a day before and I know sometimes yogurt "weeps"...

I made it in the morning, early, for enjoying in the evening. Didn't notice any weeping. I suspect it would keep for a day, or even more, as the gelatin should firm up and hold the mixture. Come to think of it, about half the batch was eaten the next day, and there was no weeping, even though the panna cotta had been cut into.

Edited by Shel_B (log)

 ... Shel


 

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted (edited)

Of course, it's easy enough to make that you can run a test batch and see how it does with your ingredients, which may be different than the ones I used. I don't know enough about making desserts and such to unequivically say your ingredients and technique will give the same results as mine, but then again, I don't know enough to say they won't.

Edited by Shel_B (log)

 ... Shel


 

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  • 2 weeks later...
BeeZee

BeeZee

Posted
Posted

I did in fact make this for Mother's Day and it was easy and tasty. They meyer lemons at the supermarket were terrible (packaged in plastic mesh sacks, each one had at least one rotted lemon) so I used 1 part orange juice to 3 parts lemon and it was still very lemony/tangy. Served with sweet cherry compote.

Had some leftovers and it did not "weep" for me, either.

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

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  • 3 weeks later...
iainpb

iainpb

Posted
Posted

I have amde a rose water flavoured panacaotta before which works nicely with a strawberry compote. You will need to substituer a little of the milk for teh rose water to ensure it still sets.

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  • 1 year later...
David Ross

David Ross

Posted
Posted

I had never made Panna Cotta before yesterday, and now I'm glad I did. I've been looking for some new ideas of how to use the season's first crop of fresh Huckleberries. This year, with the supply of Huckleberries so low-and the price so high-I wasn't sure if I should risk using the berries in a new recipe or go with one of my old standby's. I came to a compromise and paired my Huckleberry Compote with a Sour Cream Panna Cotta. It was delicious.

I used a recipe from Chef Laurent Tourondol as the basis of the Panna Cotta. But instead of cream fraiche I used sour cream, and instead of gelatin sheets, I used 1 1/2 tsp. of powdered gelatin. The result was a smooth, silky, creamy Panna Cotta with just a hint of sour tang. It paired beautifully with the Huckleberry Compote, which is a simple mixture of berries, sugar, wine, vinegar, cinnamon and nutmeg. I typically use red wine and balsamic vinegar, but this time I used champagne vinegar and late harvest riesling. The champagne vinegar was lighter than the balsamic and the late harvest riesling accented the sweetness of the Huckleberries. Enjoy.

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David Ross

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  • 6 months later...
FrogPrincesse

FrogPrincesse

Posted
Posted

I made panna cotta for the first time for the Easter meal yesterday. It was a crème fraîche panna cotta served with macerated strawberries, which was a good combination. It tasted great and the texture was really nice (it was just set, not rubbery at all). However, even though I had carefully oiled my molds (I was using little espresso cups), I had a hard time getting them out. I used a sharp knife to get the first one out and it did not look very pretty, so I ended up serving them in the cup with the strawberries on the side.

I've had panna cotta plenty of times in restaurants that had been unmolded and looked pristine - what is the secret? Does it need to be more firm (more gelatin) to be unmolded properly? Maybe I just need more practice!

Thanks!

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Kouign Aman

Kouign Aman

Posted
Posted

I keep thinking that panna cotta is a perfectly good breakfast dish. I must find time to make some this weekend and see if the family agrees. That picture is so enticing, FrogPrincesse.

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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  • 4 years later...
Okanagancook

Okanagancook

Posted
Posted

I have made the Chez Panisse panna cotta twice before and both were perfect.

 

today it is not setting????

 

how can I save it?

 

recipe was 3 c cream, 1 cup whole milk and 1/4 oz gelatin.  I mixed the cream into the gelatin at 137 f rather than the 130f recommended if that killed it, not sure but what is done is done.

 

help

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Lisa Shock

Lisa Shock

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

I have made the Chez Panisse panna cotta twice before and both were perfect.

 

today it is not setting????

 

how can I save it?

 

recipe was 3 c cream, 1 cup whole milk and 1/4 oz gelatin.  I mixed the cream into the gelatin at 137 f rather than the 130f recommended if that killed it, not sure but what is done is done.

 

help

 

Did you change brands of gelatin? There are different strengths out there...

Also, did you remember to bloom the gelatin?

Have you read eGullet's Kitchen Scale manifesto?

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

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Posted

Not sure why it didn't work but I'm pretty confident you can eliminate the 137 F as the culprit, I melt gelatin in liquids a lot hotter than that all the time and they set just fine.

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

I used the same gelatin and I bloomed it as directed.  Can it be saved by melting it all then reintroducing the gelatin?


Yes.

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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