Felt like having panna cotta and used my mom’s mooncake moulds instead of ramekins. As someone with a sweet tooth, I enjoy trying new desserts. I browsed recipes using thickened cream and milk and found a handful. The amounts of sugar vary. I decided to use less sugar to see for myself if it would set as beautifully as I wanted it to be.

Google: “Panna cotta is a simple Italian dessert made from sweetened, gelatin-thickened cream, known for its indulgence and versatility. It can incorporate seasonal fruits or alternative milks, and certain recipes may include probiotic yogurt or coconut milk for gut health benefits. The gelatin provides glycine, which aids digestion, while pairing it with berries adds antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. This dessert is adaptable to various dietary needs, making it versatile and easy to prepare.”

Do you know for a lighter panna cotta, you can replace some of the heavy cream with a lighter cream or milk? Today, I am using thickened cream; a lighter cream and milk; I am cutting down the amount of sugar. Then going to garnish with strawberry only no sauce. I am glad my panna cotta turned out good and beautiful using the mooncake moulds with cute design. Let’s make panna cotta!!!

Ingredients

1 1/2 c skim milk
1 1/2 c thickened cream
3 Tsp gelatin
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c granulated sugar

Method

Grease the oil on all 6 mooncake moulds, then use a paper towel to wipe off most of the oil, leaving only a light residue. Set aside.

Pour the milk into the pot and sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over the top in a single layer. Be sure not to pile it up as that will prevent the crystals from dissolving properly. Let it soften for 5-10 minutes or until the surface of the milk is wrinkled and the gelatin grains look wet and slightly dissolved.

Place the pot over low heat and warm the milk gently, stirring frequently. The milk should never boil or simmer; if you see steam, remove the pot from the stove and let it cool down. The milk should get hot, but not so hot that you can’t leave your finger in the pot for a few seconds. The gelatin will dissolve quickly as the milk warms; it melts at body temperature, so this step should go quickly.

After about 2 minutes of warming, rub a bit of the milk between your fingers to make sure it’s smooth. Or dip a spoon in the milk and check the back for distinct grains of gelatin. Stir sugar into the gelatin milk and continue warming until it dissolves well. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes total to dissolve both the gelatin and sugar. Again, never let the mixture boil. Remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the thickened cream and vanilla extract.

Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared mooncake moulds. Refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours, or until completely set. I put it in the fridge overnight as I want to unmould my panna cotta. The best place for the panna cotta is in the fridge overnight for easier unmoulding.

When you are about to serve, fill a large bowl partway with warm water. Wipe a small plate with a damp paper towel (a damp plate lets you reposition the panna cotta more easily if it doesn’t fall in the right spot). Run a toothpick carefully around the sides of the mooncake moulds. Don’t slide the toothpick all the way into the mooncake moulds; just release the top edge of the panna cotta from the edge of the moulds. Dip the mould in the warm water halfway, and hold it there for about 3 seconds.

Invert the mould over a small plate and press gently with your fingers to help slide it out. It should fall out onto the plate easily. (If it does not, return to the warm water bath in increments of 2 seconds.) Serve immediately, with 3 strawberries for each mould.

Note: From one of the recipes I browsed, it says: can be refrigerated, though you have to lightly cover it, for up to 5 days. The gelatin gets stronger as it sits, so this will be a bit rubbery by days 4 or 5, but you can mitigate this by letting the panna cotta sit at room temperature for about half an hour before serving.

Troubleshooting Panna Cotta
The panna cotta is still liquid! Perhaps the gelatin didn’t melt all the way, or you accidentally boiled the mixture. (Boiling destroys gelatin’s thickening power.) It may also not have set long enough.

From another recipe saying: If using sheet gelatin, substitute 2 ½ sheets of gelatin for powdered. Add the sheets to a bowl filled with 2 cups of cold water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then remove the sheets once they are completely soft and whisk them into the hot panna cotta as directed in the recipe (you don’t need to add it along with the water, as in powdered gelatin – add the sheets only).

https://helenscchin.com/2023/10/02/thickened-cream-milk-panna-cotta-with-strawberry/

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