This is a perfect recipe for true Italian panna cotta that is rich, not-too-sweet, and creamy. This is how I made panna cotta in the Italian restaurant where I was working in Prague. However, you don’t need a professional kitchen for that! I make it at home every time I need an impressive, quick-to-make dessert that everyone loves! It’s also served in individual portions and therefore great for parties! Perfect for summer, but also as a final touch to a fine dinner.

‘Panna cotta’ means ‘cooked cream’ in Italian. This is an eggless custard dessert. It includes very few ingredients consisting of a simple mixture of cream, sugar, and vanilla. Gelatin is added to set the mixture and create a creamy, custard-like consistency. If cooked properly, panna cotta is rich and silky smooth!

Italian Panna Cotta Recipe

Italian Panna Cotta Recipe

  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Persons: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy

  • Ingredients
  • 1000 ml Heavy Cream
  • 100 g Sugar
  • 2x Vanilla pods
  • 6x Gelatin sheets
  1. Instructions
  2. In a medium saucepan, mix heavy cream and sugar.
  3. Cut the vanilla lengthwise in half. Using the tip of a knife, scrape all the seeds from both parts of the vanilla pods. Then add all the seeds and vanilla pod halves to the heavy cream and sugar. Mix it and put it on the stove. Bring to a simmer.
  4. Pour cold water into a small mixing bowl. Then put the gelatin sheets one by one into the water so they are completely covered. Be sure not to pile them as that will prevent the crystals from dissolving properly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes to soften.
  5. Take the heavy cream mixture off the heat when you see the steam coming from the pot and the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not boil the mixture!
  6. Gently squeeze out gelatine sheets from the water. Add it to the heavy cream mixture and mix it very well.
  7. Pour the heavy cream with sugar, gelatin, and vanilla into a big measuring cup or jug with a sift on top to catch the vanilla halves and possibly curled cream.
  8. Pour the cream into individual serving dishes. Refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours, or until completely set.
  9. Top with fresh fruit, berries, berry sauce, or lemon curd.

My tips for a perfect Italian panna cotta

* It`s better to use gelatine sheets in this recipe instead of normal gelatine. Sheet gelatine gives you more control and a better creamy texture. The main thing is to put gelatine sheets in cold water to soak and then squeeze them out gently from the water. Also, it is important not to boil gelatin, just add it to the hot heavy cream/sugar/vanilla mixture.

* The best result you will get when using true vanilla pods, scraping vanilla seeds by yourself. I know they are pricey! But there are not many ingredients in panna cotta, so you can get fancy with this recipe. The result with true vanilla is fantastic. Vanilla extract or other vanilla substitutes can’t give you the same rich, authentic, luxury flavor.

* In my opinion, the best toppings for panna cotta are fresh berries or fresh fruits (my favorite is mango). But if you’re into something more sweet and rich, you can add lemon curd, caramel, or berry/fruit coulis. The recipes of these toppings you can find in my blog.

An interesting fact about me: I was trained as a pastry chef at the Italian Chef Academy in Rome, where they taught us all about the Italian way of baking and cooking. Then I was working in an Italian restaurant as a pastry chef, where I made panna cotta with exactly the same recipe. The guests fell in love with this light and creamy dessert, especially after a nice Italian meal.

Panna cotta is so versatile! You can add additional flavors and toppings to the basic ingredients or simply eat it as is. True Italian panna cotta is still impeccably received. With this recipe, you can make it the same way we make it in a professional kitchen.