VANilla Panacotta – Basic Italian pudding

 
Vanilla Panacotta is a basic Panacotta. Panna cotta is a  basic Italian pudding that is made using cream and thickening agent. The name Panacotta iterally means “cooked cream,” .

This recipe can be used as the base of any other flavours you may want to try and i completely trust this recipe and make with eyes closed. It gives out the perfect creamy, wiggly wobbly Panacotta. I have used this recipe as the base for most of my panacotta recipes like thandai panacotta, filter coffee panacotta, coconut panacotta, saffron rose panacotta.

 Vanilla Panacotta is a fool proof dessert that you can make and you will need 4 hours for it to set. If you are using vanilla bean to flavour it then when you take it out of the mould on a plate, you can see the grains settled in the bottom and it looks beautiful. You do not need any thing else to garnish on it. 

The main thing to remember about panacotta is  always use cream and milk of similar fat %. If you are using heavy/double cream, then use whole milk. And if you are using single cream then use semi skimmed or skimmed milk. If the fat % are way different then you will see two seperate layers when you unmould the panacotta.

 

Ingredients

1 cup – Fresh cream (amul fresh cream)

1/2 cup – Milk 

1/2 tbsp – Gelatin powder

1/4 cup – Sugar

1 tbsp – water

1 no – Vanilla bean

Preparation

Grease the ramekins with very little oil.  Set aside

Take 1 tbsp room temperature or cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle 1/2 tbsp gelatin over it and set it aside for 5 minutes to bloom.

Method

In a saucepan, heat milk and cream together.

Slit vanilla bean, scrape the grains and add both grains snd the pod to it.

Just heat the milk. Do not boil it.

Add sugar to this and stir till the sugar dissolves.

To this add the bloomed gelatin.

Keep stirring and let the gelatin dissolve.

Rub the cream mixture between two fingers to make sure gelatin is dissolved.

Seive this mixture into a jug to remove any leftover particles of gelatin or cream and vanilla pod. 

Pour this mixture equally into the ramekins.

The vanilla grains will settle down. Let it sit on the counter top for 15 minutes and then refrigerate it overnight or for 4 hours.

To unmould the panacotta, run a sharp knife on the edges of the ramekin to loosen the panacotta.

Push the panacotta edges inwards with the finger and then turn the ramekin over the serving plate and tap it.

You will now have a perfect wobbly panacotta with a perfect domb and beautiful vanilla grains on top.