Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis
I wanted to make a special dessert for my family on Valentine’s Day so I went to my favorite cookbook, Cook’s Illustrated – The New Best Recipe, for some ideas. I found an easy recipe for panna cotta that sounded fun to make and something my family would love and topped it with a raspberry coulis. This panna cotta with raspberry coulis is a wonderful combination of sweet and creamy with the tartness from the sauce that balanced it perfectly and we all thought it was fantastic and can’t wait to have it again.
How to Make Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis
Make the panna cotta by pouring the milk into a medium saucepan then sprinkle the surface evenly with the gelatin and let it stand for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to hydrate.
Meanwhile, turn 32 cubes (2 ice trays) into a large bowl then fill with four cups of ice-cold water; set aside.
Measure the heavy cream into a large measuring glass. With a paring knife, slit the vanilla bean pod down the center lengthwise, then scrape the vanilla seeds using the back of the knife. Place the entire pod into the cream once the vanilla seeds have been removed and also placed into the cream; set aside.
Place 8 glass dessert dishes, ramekins, or wine glasses on a baking sheet; set aside.
Now that the gelatin has had time to hydrate, heat the milk over high heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is dissolved and the mixture registers 135 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar and salt; whisk until well combined and the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
Stirring constantly, slowly pour the heavy cream with the vanilla into the saucepan of milk, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and set the bowl in the ice-water bath.
Stir the mixture frequently until it thickens to the consistency of eggnog and registers 50 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10-15 minutes.
Strain the mixture into a large measuring cup or pitcher, then divide it evenly among the dessert dishes or ramekins. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap (or each ramekin individually), making sure that the plastic does not mar the surface of the cream; refrigerate until just set (the mixture should wobble when shaken gently), about 4 hours.
Make the raspberry coulis while the panna cotta is setting in the refrigerator by combining the raspberries, water, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved and the berries are heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth, about 20 seconds.
Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup, pressing and stirring the puree with a rubber spatula to get as much seedless puree as possible. Add the lemon juice; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until needed.
Pour some raspberry coulis on top of the panna cotta then serve. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Panna Cotta:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 ¾ tsp unflavored gelatin
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 2 inch long vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract but recommend the vanilla bean)
- 6 tbsp sugar
- Pinch of salt
Raspberry Coulis:
- 12 oz fresh raspberries (can use frozen berries but must be thawed)
- ¼ cup water
- 7 tbsp sugar (less if the berries are very sweet)
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Panna Cotta:
- Make the panna cotta by pouring the milk into a medium saucepan then sprinkle the surface evenly with the gelatin and let it stand for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to hydrate.
- Meanwhile, turn 32 cubes (2 ice trays) into a large bowl then fill with four cups of ice-cold water; set aside.
- Measure the heavy cream into a large measuring glass. With a paring knife, slit the vanilla bean pod down the center lengthwise, then scrape the vanilla seeds using the back of the knife. Place the entire pod into the cream once the vanilla seeds have been removed and also placed into the cream; set aside.
- Place 8 glass dessert dishes, ramekins, or wine glasses on a baking sheet; set aside.
- Now that the gelatin has had time to hydrate, heat the milk over high heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is dissolved and the mixture registers 135 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar and salt; whisk until well combined and the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
- Stirring constantly, slowly pour the heavy cream with the vanilla into the saucepan of milk, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and set the bowl in the ice-water bath.
- Stir the mixture frequently until the it thickens to the consistency of eggnog and registers 50 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10-15 minutes.
- Strain the mixture into a large measuring cup or pitcher, then divide it evenly among the dessert dishes or ramekins. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap (or each ramekin individually), making sure that the plastic does not mar the surface of the cream; refrigerate until just set (the mixture should wobble when shaken gently), about 4 hours.
Raspberry Coulis:
- Make the raspberry coulis while the panna cotta is setting in the refrigerator by combining the raspberries, water, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved and the berries are heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth, about 20 seconds.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup, pressing and stirring the puree with a rubber spatula to get as much seedless puree as possible. Add the lemon juice; mix well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until needed.
- Pour some raspberry coulis on top of the panna cotta then serve. Enjoy!
So beautiful and bet it’s very yummy too, Pam.
That looks good, I have the coulis but wondering what gelatine is in French. Ah, it is g̩latine, just the accent extra but I wonder why I have not noticed it in the shops Рmust look harder. Enjou your weekend Diane
Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts and I love that you added raspberry flavoring. Perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day fo sure.
I need to use that cookbook more! I’ve actually never had panna cotta…though I have bookmarked dozens of recipes for it over the years. Maybe this will be the year!
i can count on one hand the number of times i’ve worked with gelatin, but i really need to use it more! this is beautiful, elegant, and delicious!