Chocolate and Caramel Panna Cotta is one of the best and easiest Italian desserts I make every Christmas. The combination of rich chocolate and silky caramel is simply divine. The texture is luxuriously creamy, and my kids absolutely adore it. They look forward to it every year as part of our holiday tradition.
Panna cotta is surprisingly simple to prepare, but it’s important to follow the instructions carefully especially when it comes to using gelatin. If you add less than the required amount, the panna cotta won’t set properly and will turn out too runny. But when done right, it’s a showstopping dessert that’s always a crowd-pleaser.
How to make the best panna cotta?
- Use the instructions of the gelatin written on the on the package you bought, there are different type and each has it special steps, for example the agar agar different from the sheet gelatin and the gelatin powder has a different use as well.
- caramelize sugar on a medium heat.
- Add hot cream to the caramel sauce, the cold cream will shrink the caramel and it would take time to dissolve again.
- Beware when adding the caramel panna cotta to the chocolate panna cotta, the caramel one must be at room temperature at 30°C, otherwise the chocolate panna cotta will melt and the two colors will mix together.
What is the substitute of the gelatin?
Use the corn starch instead of gelatin but you must let the chocolate and caramel panna cotta boiled to eliminate the taste of starch.
Notes
- Use the instructions of the gelatin written on the on the package you bought, there are different type and each has it special steps, for example the agar agar different from the sheet gelatin and the gelatin powder has a different use as well.
- caramelize sugar on a medium heat.
- Add hot cream to the caramel sauce, the cold cream will shrink the caramel and it would take time to dissolve again.
- Beware when adding the caramel panna cotta to the chocolate panna cotta, the caramel one must be at room temperature at 30°C, otherwise the chocolate panna cotta will melt and the two colors will mix together.
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Chocolate and Caramel Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 1 cup half and half ( use instead half cup cream and half cup milk
- 3 tablespoon sugar or as a desire
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder unsweetened
- 25 grams dark chocolate 1 tablespoon
- 4 Gelatin sheet 6 grams
- 1 Cup cold water for soak the gelatin
- For the caramel layer:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 Gelatin sheet 6 grams
- 1 Cup cold water for soak the gelatin
- 1 cup half and half use instead half cup cream and half cup milk
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1/4 cup cream
Instructions
- Lean the glasses so that they remain sloped ( i placed the glasses tilted on a muffin pan for more easiness).
- Soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl with the cold water for about 10 minutes or while preparing the chocolate layer.
- In a sauce pan pour the half and half, add sugar and cacao powder, stir in a medium heat until cacao powder well dissolve. Add chocolate and bring it to simmer. Turn off the flame and remove from heat.
- Now drain the gelatin without squeezing too much, and add it to chocolate panna cotta cream.
- Pour and fill half prepared glasses with the panna cotta cream. Leave to cool off at room temperature, then place in the refrigerator to make it cold for at least 3 hours.
- To prepare caramel layer:
- Soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl with the cold water for about 10 minutes or while preparing the caramel layer.
- In a saucepan caramelize sugar on a medium heat, add butter and stir then pour 1/4 cup of hot cream stir until you have toffee sauce, then pour the half and half bring it to simmer. Turn off the flame and remove from heat.
- Drain the gelatin, and add it to caramel panna cotta cream. Give a quick stir, and let it cool to 30 degrees or at room temperature (don’t pour it hot on the chocolate layer).
- Put the cups in their normal position ( i placed it in a tray for more easy to transport them) pour the caramel panna cotta on the chocolate panna cotta.
- Place in the refrigerator to make it cold for at least 3 hours. and serve.
