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Piedmontese Panna Cotta
In Northern Italy, Panna Cotta is made using egg whites as a stabilizer, not gelatin. It’s silkier and more custard-like than the version with gelatin. It’s more convenient too, as it’s more likely you’ll have eggs in your house than gelatin.
Panna Cotta is a perfect vehicle for for some fresh fruit. It’s light, mild, and begging for something fresh and a little sweet. This recipe tops the dessert with salted caramel, macerated strawberries, and whipped cream.
Piedmontese Panna Cotta
Egg-white Panna Cotta with with macerated strawberries, salted caramel, and whipped cream
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Sieve
- 6 4 oz Canning Jars Or Ramekins
- 1 Deep Baking Dish
- 1 Tongs
Ingredients
- 375 ml Heavy Cream
- 250 ml Whole Milk
- 90 g Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract or 1 vanilla bean
- 5 lg Egg Whites about 150 g
- 1 pinch Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 280°F
- Place 6 small ramekins in a deep baking dish
- In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil.
- Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool until lukewarm.
- Place the egg whites in a bowl and stir or whisk very gently just until loosened. Do not whip or incorporate air.
- Slowly pour the cooled cream mixture into the egg whites while stirring gently.
- For the smoothest texture, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Divide among the ramekins.
- Pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for ~40 minutes, or until the custards are just set around the edges but still have a gentle wobble in the center with an internal temperature around 160–163°F
- Remove the canning jars from the water bath and let cool to room temperature
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight
- Serve chilled in the canning jars topped with salted caramel, macerated strawberries, and whipped cream (recipes below)
Whipped Cream
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 c Heavy Cream
- 2 tbsp Confectioners Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Chill bowl and whisk attachment of stand mixer for a minimum of 10 minutes
- Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to bowl
- Whisk on medium-high until medium-to-stiff peaks form
Macerated Strawberries
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sliced Strawberries
- 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to bowl
- Toss or stir to coat
- Refrigerate for 30+ minutes (the longer, the better)
Salted Caramel
Salted Caramel
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Canning Jar
Ingredients
- 100 g Granulated Sugar
- 30 ml Water
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 60 ml Heavy Cream
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
Instructions
- Add Sugar and Water into saucepan
- Stir over medium heat until dissolved and uniform
- Reduce heat to low and mix in Butter until uniform
- Whisk in Heavy Cream — be careful, as it will bubble up until uniform
- Remove from heat and mix in Salt and Vanilla
- Pour into a tempered glass canning jar and let it cool on the counter until it reaches room temperature
