Experience the ethereal allure of saffron panna cotta. The saffron-infused cream and its golden hues will help you savor the lusciousness of this Italian dessert. Indulge in a delicate dance of flavors and textures resulting in a subtle sweetness that lingers on your palate. The experience is elevated with a luscious sauce of butter, honey, and bourbon, gracefully drizzled over the delicate panna cotta like liquid gold. Prepare to be captivated by this culinary masterpiece, an ode to elegance and indulgence.
The History of Panna Cotta
Food historians debate exactly where panna cotta comes from. According to a legend, though it originated in Italy, it was actually a Hungarian lady who first baked it in northern Italy. Panna cotta means “cooked cream.” Because it has so many variations, the only real rule is that you have to have cream as the base. For flavors, you can use caramel, coffee, liqueurs, lavender, herbs, chocolate, rose petals, teas, fruits, and of course, saffron as we have in our saffron panna cotta!
Saffron Panna Cotta
Description
A spin on an Italian dessert.
Ingredients
For the Panna Cotta:
- 1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tsp half and half
- 4 pinches of saffron threads
For the sauce:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tsp honey
- A few sprinkles of Vietnamese cinnamon (approx. 1/16th tsp)
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Panna Cotta:
- Sprinkle a tbsp of gelatin over the 2 tsp of half and half to bloom for 5 minutes.
- Pour the cream and half and half into a pot to warm with the sugar. Keep the heat low; you don’t want the cream to simmer or boil.
- Stir until sugar dissolves, and add the saffron threads and stir until the threads infuse the cream with flavor. Take off the heat and stir in the gelatin.
- Place back on low heat, stirring to dissolve the gelatin completely. Be careful not to overheat the cream, as it will ruin the thickening power of the gelatin.
- Take a little bit of the cream between your fingers to test if the gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Either use a non-stick spray or another way of greasing your ramekins or glass bowls. Pour the cream evenly into 4 ramekins/bowls, depending on size. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours if serving in a ramekin or overnight if loosening and inverting onto a dessert plate.
For the sauce:
- Melt the butter in a small pan.
- Add the sugar and stir continuously on medium-low heat until the butter and sugar melt and emulsifies.
- Then slowly add the water, stirring as you do. Simmer for a minute, then continuously stir the honey, cinnamon, and salt. Finally, add the bourbon and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.
- To serve, simply spoon the sauce over the panna cotta and enjoy!
Recipe by Veda Sankaran
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce
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