An easy recipe for a classic Italian panna cotta dessert from the Northwest region of Piedmont, this Classic Italian Panna Cotta recipe it's made with heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean.
Dissolve The Gelatin: Place 1/4 cup of water in a small shallow bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Set it aside while you cook the cream. If you want to unmold the panna cotta to serve it, go ahead and coat whatever serving mold you decide to use (a ramekin or a metal tin or a fluted bowl) with a bit of cooking spray or a very thin layer of neutral oil (say avocado oil).
Simmer The Cream: Meanwhile, combine the cream, sugar, vanilla bean, vanilla seeds, and the salt in a small saucepan. Warm the mixture over medium heat until the mixture simmers and stir until sugar is dissolved for about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatin mix, and whisk well until the gelatin is evenly mixed into the cream.
Fill Panna Cotta Molds: Fill four ramekins or small dishes with about 1/2 cup of the base (or one larger mold with all the cream mixture). Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until mixture is set and jiggles slightly when moved, about 5 hours or overnight.
Serve The Panna Cotta: You can serve the panna cotta in the ramekins or molds or you can unmold it. To unmold the panna cotta, dip the mold bottoms or small dishes in very hot water. Run a knife around the Panna cotta's perimeter, cover with a serving plate, and flip to unmold the panna cotta. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries and/or a drizzle of honey, melted chocolate, or even a berry puree.