Panna Cotta or Cheese Panacota

How to prepare a panacota or Panna Cotta. This recipe is a typical Italian dessert very famous in three regions: Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta and the Umbria region. Although its origin is located more to the north, since Piedmont is the largest milk producer, this “cooked cream” is eaten throughout the country. I have researched several books to know a little more about him, he talks about the panna cotta  Alessandro Molinari   in the treatise ” La Cucina Piemontese” that places him in  Piedmont . In  “800 Ricette Tradizionali”  , however, they tell us that in the Umbria   region  “the green heart of Italy”   the recipe is attributed as their own in some corner near the shores of Lake Trasimeno. Well, wherever it is, this dessert is delicious, what else am I going to tell you.

Simple but exceptionally delicious, as long as you use quality cream with just the right amount of fat. In this case the fundamental role is played by this dairy. In this recipe today we will stay between one and the other, I put a touch of cream cheese  to give it a little more texture and flavor than mere dairy, and I also accompany it with caramel , but you can find many different recipes: panna Strawberry, blackberry, vanilla cotta, with red berries, with Xixona nougat , with a little amaretto or with rum, lemon … of course, imagination to power.

A dessert so creamy that it will appeal to adults and children alike, delicious, simple and not heavy at all. We can even play with the recipe to change the molds for those who want the smallest of the house, so you will have them almost playing with them in the kitchen. I hope you like it and you are encouraged to prepare it at home.

Preparation of the cheese panna cotta

For this dessert you can use the mold or molds (as in this case) that you like, I used those of the flan to make individual portions, but in a large one it will also be very good.

1. Pour the cream or milk cream into a saucepan and heat it up a bit. Add the sugar, the vanilla essence, the milk and the cream cheese and heat slowly without boiling until the cheese is mixed with the cream.
2. We beat everything integrating the flavors, leave at minimum temperature to add the gelatin. You can use brown sugar instead of the blanquilla, it will be a little darker, with a more golden color and just as good.
3. We prepare the gelatin according to the directions on the package. We dilute the gelatine in a cup with warm water, it should be soaked in the water for 5 minutes. The leaves do not dissolve, but they soften. After this time, you have to take them with your hands and squeeze them gently. Then we add them to the rest of the ingredients in the casserole and stir until they are completely dissolved, mixing well with a fork or spoon. We help ourselves with some rods to mix (do not use the mixer because it generates a lot of foam and then we have bubbles).
4. We distribute this cream in the small custard glasses that we have prepared and let them rest in the fridge before unmolding them. It is best if they stay overnight if possible and before serving, we mold them like custard. The demoulding is easy, the top will need help, we pass a knife through the sides so that it takes off easily, it is the stickiest area. Another trick to unmold without problems would be to put the mold in very hot water for a few seconds and turn around, surely you will have no problems.
5. The panacota is better from one day to the next, but if we are in a hurry in two or three hours we have it done. We serve with a few drops of caramel and a little strawberry jam, or whatever you like, mango jam, red berries, orange, … imagination to power.

I assure you that it will delight the whole family, young and old. Triumph assured with this dessert so simple to prepare, they are delicious. Take advantage and live Italy!

You can see all the photos of the step by step in the next album.