Ingredients
Scale
For the Coffee Panna Cotta:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk (optional, but will make it creamier)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or 6 tbsp of honey)
- 2 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 2 tbsp instant espresso powder (or strong brewed espresso, cooled)
For the Espresso Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder (dissolved in 1 tsp hot water) or 1 shot of espresso, cooled
Alternative Ingredients:
- Milk – Almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk for a dairy-free version.
- Heavy cream – Full-fat coconut cream
- Sweetener – Honey, maple syrup, or a sugar substitute like stevia or erythritol
- Gelatin – Agar-agar powder
- Coffee – Strongly brewed coffee or espresso.
- Whipping cream – Plant-based whipping creams
- Confectioners’ sugar – Coconut sugar, sugar-free powdered sweetener
- Espresso – Coffee liqueur, coffee syrup – anything that has a strong coffee flavor works.
Instructions
Espresso Panna Cotta
- Before you start making the cream, prep the gelatin by sprinkling one pack over a small bowl filled with cold water (3 tbsp water for 1 pack) – let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until it becomes spongy.
- In a medium saucepan add the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and instant coffee (or the cold brew) – then heat over medium heat while you’re stirring continuously until the sugar and coffee are completely dissolved.
- Note: Make sure to not let it boil.
- The next step is to take the cream mixture off the heat (low heat is ok too) and add the bloomed gelatin to it, stirring constantly until the gelatin is dissolved.
- Lastly, pour the creamy mixture into the ramekins or similar containers halfway – let it cool off at room temperature before putting it into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Note: If you want to create a layered Panna Cotta (aka multiple layers), you will need multiple serving cups with the same size to unmold the layers onto each other. It can get complicated pretty quickly, however, it looks absolutely amazing if you want to wow others.
Prepare the Espresso Cream
- In a medium mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form – use a food processor, if you have one!
- Add the dissolved espresso and vanilla extract to the whipped cream and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
Put it all together:
- Once your coffee Panna Cotta is set, spoon or pipe the espresso cream over the top to create a distinct layer.
- Once the coffee Panna Cotta is set, spoon or pipe the espresso cream over the top to create an even layer.
- Lastly, refrigerate this creamy dessert for at least 30 minutes before serving it, so the flavors can fully meld together.
That’s it! Easy peasy! Garnish with some dust cocoa powder or chocolate shavings and enjoy!