Panna Cotta – a dessert which has a bit of the wow factor, but is surprisingly very, very easy to make. I was thankful that Megan chose this as I was up to my arms in ‘baking things’ doing the September challenge for the Daring Bakers yesterday and really didn’t have the energy for a complicated recipe. A four ingredient task was what I needed and Panna Cotta delivered. I didn’t even need to get in any ingredients (which I think is the only time that this has happened). It was also perfect to make at 10am and leave in the fridge undisturbed for eight hours.
Complacent I am not though, and for every ‘easy’ recipe of Martha’s I do it inevitably means that I use four bowls and more implements than I care to wash up. So I watched the video and it was as easy as Martha made it look (although I used an extra bowl as I had put the gelatine and water in a tiny bowl and then realised that I had to mix it with the cream).
Mum insisted that I make more effort and informed me that a white dessert on a white plate would look really crap, so I got out the only coloured plate and put it on one of my treasured Martha Stewart Wedgwood saucers. I have had Panna Cotta in restaurants before and mum and I ate the plateful above in a matter of seconds after I had snapped a couple of photos. The vanilla syrup is a bit too sweet for me and as I didn’t have Marsala I used a bit lot of Gran Marnier but that didn’t matter. I will make these in the future due to their simplicity but next time I wouldn’t bother with the syrup. Instead I plan to serve them with berries which would make this perfect.
I can’t wait to see what everyone else thought of it.
Perfecting Pru 
I’m glad it turned out for you and it wasn’t to complicated. Your panna cotta looks delicious on the Wedgewood saucer. Job well done indeed!!!
Thanks for making my pick! 🙂
I had my first panna cotta in Italy and immediately fell in love. Yours looks perfect – smooth creamy and delicious.
I had to laugh because you’re so right! Any simple recipe of Martha’s invariably means a trip to the store and at least 2 pots, 2 bowls and 4 spoons. This was amazingly simple. Yours looks so pretty on the Wedgewood.
Yours came out so beautifully. Mine did not but that’s what I get for not following directions. I love the comment about dishes. So true. So true.