Up until this week, we'd never made panna cotta before. And now, well, we're not exactly panna cotta experts, but we know a thing or two about this dessert.
It's considered easy to make. Nothing more than heating cream and sugar and adding gelatin.
Maybe it's just that we tried to make ours lower fat or because we added chocolate, but, while our panna cotta wasn't difficult, it wasn't a complete snap either.
There were a few bowls dirtied, a strainer involved and more than a couple steps to making this rich little concoction. Still, we think it was worth it and no harder than baking cake or pie.
We modified this recipe from one we found in Sunset. It's sweet, sophisticatedly tangy and, as we mentioned before, insanely rich.
Rating: 3/4 assed (maybe a little less, but we can't, in good conscience, give this a half assed rating either).
Here's what you need and how you do it
4 teaspoons gelatin (we used Knox)
2 cups milk or half-and-half, divided (traditionally heavy cream is used, you can go this route if you so desire)
3/4 cup sugar
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate shavings (optional)
In a small bowl or measuring cup, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup milk. Let sit about 10 minutes until softened.
In a saucepan, mix remaining milk, sugar and chocolate and heat, stirring often, until it starts steaming. Pour in milk and gelatin and whisk to dissolve gelatin.
Mix yogurt and vanilla in a large bowl (that's three big dishes to wash already. I know!!). Pour chocolate mixture through a fine strainer into yogurt and vanilla and stir.
Lightly oil a muffin tin and divide chocolate/yogurt mixture evenly. Chill for at least 2 hours. Top with chocolate shavings (if desired) and serve.
If you don't have time to chill thoroughly, serve in wine glasses or other decorative bowl and they'll still be pretty and tasty.
Serves about 8.
For a printable version of this recipe, click here.
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