This is the easiest layered pannacotta you will ever make. Seriously, EVER!
Plus to make it even easier I am making my You Tube debut, and to keep it interesting as well as easy try and count how many times I say Okay.
Okay now where was I, yup easy, pretty much you just heat up a couple of ingredients, mix stuff together, strain it, pour it into containers and it sorts itself into layers.
I told you it was easy. It was a happy accident when I messed around with a recipe a few years back. The original recipe was not layering but my version was super layering awesomeness.
I've fancied them up by using mini square cups and popping a macaron shell and a bit of whipped up ganache onto the top. It's a perfect way to serve pannacotta for a buffet or dessert table.
Otherwise you can make it like a regular pannacotta and pour the mixture into dariole molds to turn out, or even just serve in ramkins or glasses.
Coffee Pannacotta makes 16 small serves (like in the picture) or 6 regular serves, recipe can be doubled or halved. Important notes included at bottom of recipe re cream and gelatin. I used low fat milk, you can use full fat if you like.
55g caster sugar (1 7/8 ounce)
20g (3/4 ounce) freshly ground coffee (mine was ground for espresso machine)
270gm (9 1/2 ounce) milk
2 and a half leaves gelatin
270gm (9 1/2 ounce) unthickened pouring cream
Place gelatine into a bowl and cover with cold water whilst you heat the milk (I usually ripe the sheets into 2 or 3 pieces so they are smaller and fit into a small bowl).
Pop sugar, milk and coffee into a saucepan and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, remove from heat.
Squeeze excess water from gelatin, discard the water and add the leaves to the milk mixture and stir to dissolve all gelatin.
Add cream and stir well.
Get a large jug with a handle and place a sieve over the top lined with 4 layers of muslin. If you do not have muslin you may use clean unused dishcloths or even a coffee filter or paper towels. Pass the coffee mixture through the lined sieve into the jug. Ensure as much of the mixture as possible gets through, you may need to replace the top layer if it becomes clogged.
Pour mixture into molds to achieve the separate layers I allowed the smaller containers to sit at room temperature for around 10 minutes or so until the layers are evident.
Allow to set in the fridge overnight covered with plastic or in an airtight container.
Serve in container or if you are turning out run a knife carefully around the edge and then gently warm the top with a dishcloth soaked in warm water before placing the plate on top of the mold and then turning both over. The pannacotta should slip out perfectly.
Cute chalkboard flags from Ah-Tissue
Notes for recipe - the weights for the liquids are actually weights on a set of electric scales.
Use unthickened cream - in Australia Thickened cream has added gelatin so you are changing the ratios and may end up with a panna cotta that is harder and more set than you intend. I use the Pauls brand of Pure cream in the blue carton it is 36.5% fat. In the US try whipping or heavy cream.
The gelatin brand I used says on the front Rheingold schnell-losliche Blatt-Gelatine it is light blue on the front and white with lots of darker blue writing on the back. I believe it is a normal strength gelatin sheet. If you use a different strength gelatin it will have an impact on how the panna cotta sets but not the taste.
If your searching for the small square cups I suggest searching under disposable square cups or square verrine cups.
Dariole molds are available in kitchen and baking stores. The ones I normally use are small single plastic molds, so pretty much it is a fancy way of saying little plastic cups.
Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores:
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Or at Fishpond (free shipping Australia)
