Prep Time: 15 mins Refrigeration Time: 6 hours Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total: 6 hrs 20 mins Yields: 8
This Mary Berry Panna Cotta which when translated, means “cooked cream,” boasts a delicate, barely set texture, making it a perfect match for the vibrant flavors of tangy fruits or a delightful fruity coulis. Perfect for any occasion, it’s sure to impress your guests and leave them wanting more.
RELATED:
Why you’ll like it
There are several reasons why you should give Mary Berry Panna Cotta a try.
- Texture: The smooth and velvety texture of a good pannacotta is simply irresistible. This is the main reason why pannacotta is always my preferred choice of dessert.
- Flavour: The combination of creamy single cream and zesty orange creates a refreshing and indulgent flavour.
- Versatile dessert: This pannacotta can be enjoyed on its own or paired with fresh fruits or a drizzle of chocolate sauce for an extra touch of decadence.
Mary Berry Panna Cotta Recipe
What is Mary Berry Panna Cotta?
Mary Berry Panna Cotta is a classic Italian dessert with a twist. It is made by combining single cream, sugar, and finely grated orange zest, which is then mixed with gelatine to create a smooth and creamy consistency. The mixture is poured into glasses or ramekins and chilled until set. The dessert is garnished with reserved orange zest before serving.
Mary Berry Panna Cotta differs from the original recipe by incorporating the orange zest directly into the cream mixture. This enhances the citrus flavour and adds a subtle hint of freshness to the dessert. The use of gelatine ensures a perfect set and a smooth texture, making it a delightful treat for your taste buds.
Ingredients
- Orange zest – zest finely grated of 1 orange
- Cold water – 2 tablespoons cold water
- Powdered gelatine – 1 packet (11g / ¼ oz) powdered gelatine
- Single cream – 900ml (1½ pints) single cream
- Caster sugar – 75g (3 oz) caster sugar
Instructions
Tips
- Orange zest: Make sure to finely grate the orange zest to release its flavour.
- Gelatin: Soak the gelatine in cold water to ensure it dissolves properly. If you’d rather, you can use leaf gelatine or vegetarian gelatine. The latter is derived from seaweed, with agar-agar serving as the setting agent. If you plan to unmold the panna cotta, use small metal pudding basins. Lightly grease the insides and place them upside down on kitchen paper to let any excess oil drain out. Follow the same steps as mentioned above. Just before serving, gently run your index finger along the sides of the mould and carefully turn out the panna cotta.
- Avoid curdling: Heat the cream mixture until it’s scalding but not boiling to avoid curdling.
- Smooth texture: If you prefer a smooth texture without bits of orange rind, strain the mixture before chilling.
- Preparing Ahead: You can make the panna cotta up to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge.
Variations
- Citrus twist: For a twist, you can substitute the orange zest with lemon or lime zest.
- Vanilla pannacotta: If you’d like to create vanilla-flavoured panna cotta, substitute the orange zest with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Alternatively, you can prepare the panna cotta in a 1.2-litre (2-pint) glass serving dish. An excellent complement to orange panna cotta is a refreshing sliced orange fruit salad.
- Raspberry Pannacotta: Top the panna cotta with fresh raspberry coulis for added sweetness.
- Caramel Pannacotta: Top your pannacotta with a drizzle of caramel sauce
How to serve Mary Berry Panna Cotta?
- Mary Berry Panna Cotta can be served in individual glasses or ramekins.
- To add an elegant touch, you can garnish each serving with a sprig of mint or a dusting of cocoa powder.
- It pairs well with a coulis of berries or a dollop of whipped cream.
Serve chilled and enjoy!
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Once the panna cotta has been set, cover the containers with clingfilm and store them in the refrigerator.
- Prepare in advance: It can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days, allowing you to prepare it in advance for any upcoming events or simply enjoy it as a delightful treat whenever you crave something sweet.
You might like more…
- Oranges in Cointreau
- White Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake
- Limoncello Cheesecake
- Mary Berry Lemon Curd Recipe
- Lemon Cheesecake Crumb Cake
Mary Berry Panna Cotta
Panna cotta," when translated, means "cooked cream." This delectable dessert boasts a delicate, barely set texture, making it a perfect match for the vibrant flavors of tangy fruits or a delightful fruity coulis.
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 packet 11g / ¼ oz powdered gelatine
- 900 ml 1½ pints single cream
- 75 g 3 oz caster sugar
- rind of 1 orange finely grated
Instructions
- Grate the orange zest. Grate the zest finely. Leave a small amount of orange zest for later garnish.
- Soak gelatine. In a small container, measure out cold water and evenly sprinkle the gelatine over it. Set it aside to soak.
- Heat the cream, sugar & orange zest. In a saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, and the finely grated orange rind. Heat the mixture until it's scalding but not quite boiling, ensuring the sugar dissolves completely. Remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Make the pannacotta. Add the soaked gelatine to the mixture and whisk until it dissolves completely, resulting in a smooth consistency. Pour this mixture into glasses or ramekins. Once it has cooled, cover the containers with clingfilm and allow the panna cotta to set in the refrigerator for about 6 hours or, ideally, overnight. If you'd prefer not to have bits of orange rind in the dessert, you can strain it before chilling.
- Garnish the panna cotta. Prior to serving, garnish the panna cotta with the reserved orange zest.
Notes
Preparing Ahead: You can make the panna cotta up to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge.
Tip: If you'd rather, you can use leaf gelatine or vegetarian gelatine. The latter is derived from seaweed, with agar-agar serving as the setting agent. If you plan to unmold the panna cotta, use small metal pudding basins. Lightly grease the insides and place them upside down on kitchen paper to let any excess oil drain out. Follow the same steps as mentioned above. Just before serving, gently run your index finger along the sides of the mould and carefully turn out the panna cotta.
Vanilla pannacotta: If you'd like to create vanilla-flavoured panna cotta, substitute the orange zest with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Alternatively, you can prepare the panna cotta in a 1.2-litre (2-pint) glass serving dish. An excellent complement to orange panna cotta is a refreshing sliced orange fruit salad.
This Mary Berry Panna Cotta recipe is a winner! With a delicate texture and vibrant flavors, it’s sure to impress your guests. Plus, it’s versatile and can be enjoyed on its own or with fresh fruits or chocolate sauce. Give it a try and thank me later!
Oh tried this with orange zest and it was amazing! I didn’t have much time but next time I will try it with raspberry coulis
That’s great! And there are so many options. Even the vanilla version tastes great!