Panna cotta, or “cooked cream,” is a silky, rich and heavenly traditional Italian dessert with the flavor of fresh milk and cream. This light yet decadent chilled custard is a standout on Prosecco Trattoria’s menu, with many fans agreeing that it must not be missed. “Panna cotta is just a simple, clean and pleasurable way to end any meal,” Prosecco’s Amy Fishburn and Eric Avallone say. Prosecco’s version features a splash of Marsala wine and vanilla bean to enhance the cream flavor with a delicate floral aroma and is served with mixed berries and a caramel and wild berry drizzle. And you can easily recreate this sweet course for your loved ones this holiday season with the restaurant’s recipe. This dessert comes together quickly and is versatile; it can be enjoyed on its own or paired with fresh fruit, coulis, chocolate sauce or whatever ingredients you like. It can also be prepared ahead of time (up to three days) and plated easily when it’s time to serve.
Panna Cotta
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
½ cup half-and-half
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon sweet Marsala wine
½ cup sugar
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
2 ¼ teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
Mixed berries, for serving
PREPARATION
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, sweet Marsala wine, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the mixture just to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.
- Uncover the cream mixture and bring just to a simmer over moderately high heat. Remove from heat, add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove the vanilla bean and save for another use. Pour the panna cotta mixture into eight 4-ounce ramekins and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the panna cotta is set but still jiggly, at least three hours. Serve in ramekins with berries.
Tip: For a festive twist, Fishburn and Avallone recommend plating the panna cotta with pomegranates.