I don’t know about you, but for me, dessert is one of those things that can’t be skipped. I want/need something sweet at the end of a meal. And when I’m hosting a dinner party like I was when I made this lemon panna cotta with raspberry sauce, ease is something else I take into account. You know I’m more than willing to spend a day in the kitchen on one thing….especially for roasts and desserts. But when you’re hosting you have to take into account the amount of effort that goes into plating and then serving desserts. Which is why I served this in a stemless wine glass. It looks classy, it requires no “plating” because the dish you chill it in is also what you serve it in. Easy, huh?!
This dinner party was Italian themed so naturally, panna cotta came to mind. It’s one of those things that is very easy once you get the proportions right. I tried out 3 different proportions until I finally got it perfect. This can easily be cut in half if you’re wanting a smaller batch for 4 people.
The reason for the plastic wrap being laid right on top of the cream is to avoid it forming a “skin.” It disrupts the smooth texture that panna cotta should have! You can skip it, but I would recommend doing it.
Lemon Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients
For the panna cotta:
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin powder
- 4 tbsp cold water
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups half and half
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon extract
- 3 cups fresh raspberries
- 8 dried and sweetened lemon slices
- 8 sprigs of fresh mint
For the raspberry sauce:
- 2 bags frozen raspberries
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 5 tbsp water
- 2 1/2 tsp corn starch plus a little depending on desired thickness
Instructions
For the Panna Cotta:
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, sprinkle the gelatin powder over the 4 tbsp cold water. Whisk lightly to combine and cook until the powder is dissolved then turn off heat.
- Meanwhile in a large pot, add your heavy cream, half and half and sugar and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Turn off heat, add your gelatin water and lemon extract to the cream mixture and whisk to fully combine.
- Strain your cream mixture over a large bowl. Working in batches, pour into a large measuring cup to then pour into serving dishes. I used stemless wine glasses for serving as it's easier when hosting a dinner.
- Next, cut plastic wrap pieces in half and working carefully, lay the plastic wrap right on top of the cream inside the glass. Then cover the glass with another layer of plastic wrap. Don't worry about it being perfect as the sauce will be on top of the panna cotta.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Can be made ahead by a few days if needed.
For the raspberry sauce:
- Combine all ingredients besides corn starch in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a heavy simmer/light boil. Using a potato masher, mash the raspberries. Cook for about 10 minutes to release all the juices.
- Strain the raspberries in a mesh strainer over a large bowl. Stir every once in a while to move the seeds around and to allow the juice to strain. Once strained, return the sauce to pot and turn the heat on. Add the corn starch and cook until thickened, whisking the whole time to fully combine corn starch. I used and immersion blender here to help get it extra smooth. The sauce can be used immediately or if you're making ahead, put in mason jars. Can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
- When it's time for plating, remove the plastic wrap from the cups and allow to rest at room temp for 10 minutes. Then spoon the raspberry sauce over the panna cotta. (If the sauce was refrigerated, I heat it up a little to make it more liquid before plating. Let it rest 5 minutes before topping the panna cotta.)
- Top with fresh raspberries, a sprig of mint and a sweetened lemon slice.
There you have it! One of my friends that was at the dinner party said, “Oh my god…are we at a restaurant?! These are gorgeous!” Which, not gonna lie, made me so happy. She just didn’t know how easy it was! 😉 They will impress and they are delicious!
xx
Tessa
