Get Fancy at Home
Panna cotta is one of those desserts that looks a little too fancy and difficult to prepare. It’s not a dessert you would make at home, like you would cookies. You really only get it for dessert when you’re out at a restaurant. Contrary to this belief, panna cotta is actually one of the easiest desserts to make. Today, we’re going to change your perception of it with this White Chocolate Cranberry Panna Cotta. It’s composed of a white chocolate panna cotta, topped with a cranberry compote and a brown sugar and herb crumble. This is a festive holiday dessert that’s going to wow your guests!
Coming from a culinary background, I’ve always loved the idea of fancy, composed desserts. A composed dessert is a well thought out dessert plate where the base dessert is plated with various elements — sauces, fillings, garnishes, or a textural component — that compliment it. Of course, most composed deserts are carefully crafted, so it takes time to make them. However, this White Chocolate Cranberry Panna Cotta is an approachable composed dessert that you can easily make at home.
Part 1
Starting off with our base — the white chocolate panna cotta — all you need is gelatin, water, sugar, heavy cream, milk, white chocolate, salt, and vanilla extract. Add the gelatin to the water so that it can bloom. In the meantime, combine the remaining ingredients in a pot and heat it until the white chocolate has melted. Add in the gelatin and mix it until it has dissolved. Voila! Our panna cotta is essentially done! All that’s lefts is leaving it in the fridge to set.
Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup with a spout. Then evenly pour it into 4 ramekins. Place it in the fridge to set for at least 6 hours or overnight. Alternatively, if you don’t want to unmold the panna cotta, you can pour the mixture into clear glasses and place them into the fridge to set.
Parts 2 and 3
Moving on, we can start on the cranberry compote! We’re using cranberries, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, sugar, and water. Put it all into a pot, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the cranberries have burst and the juices have reduced to a jam-like consistency. Transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool. And there you go, part 2 is done!
Now for the brown sugar and herb crumble. We’re making this like you would any other crumble topping. Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, rosemary, sage and salt in a bowl. Add in cold, diced butter and use your fingertips to work the butter into the dough until it develops the consistency of wet sand. The dough should be able to stick together when you squeeze it in your fist then crumble into small clumps when you break it apart. Pour the crumbles onto a baking sheet and bake it in the oven for 10 minutes.
Let’s Get Plated
Last but not least, it time to plate. Unmolding the panna cotta is honestly the most intimidating part of this recipe. Even so, it’s really not that hard. Run a knife along the edge of the panna cotta. Dip the ramekin in hot water for 10-15 seconds. Remove it from the water and place your serving plate on top of it. Holding the plate against the top of the ramekin, flip them over so that the plate is now on the bottom. Lift the ramekin up and you should have a beautiful panna cotta! If it’s being a little stubborn, repeat this process.
Once the panna cotta is out, spoon the cranberry compote over top. If the compote has thickened too much while it has cooled, mix in a tablespoon of water at a time until it has a saucier consistency. Then sprinkle the brown sugar and herb crumble on top. If you decide to serve the panna cotta in clear glasses, simply add the cranberry compote on top and sprinkle on the brown sugar and herb crumble.
Surprise Your Guests
The white chocolate panna cotta has just enough gelatin for it to hold its shape but still retain its creamy texture. When this panna cotta hits your mouth, its almost like a custard. It melts in your mouth seamlessly! The cranberry competes pairs perfectly with it because the tartness of the cranberries balances out the sweetness of the white chocolate and gives the dish a fresh taste. The crumble topping is probably by favorite part. I cannot have a panna cotta without a crunchy, cookie element. You get a subtle hint of the herbs, and the warmth from the brown sugar and cinnamon. The crunchiness contrasts the silky smooth panna cotta so well.
There you go! You have a beautiful composed dessert at home. How easy was that?! It was so simple and probably cheaper than the $20 panna cotta you would’ve gotten at a restaurant. You can prepare the panna cotta, cranberry compote, and crumble ahead of time. Then when your guests are ready for dessert, all you have to do is assemble the dessert. They’re going to be in awe just from the presentation. Once they get a taste of it, they wont believe you made it at home. Try this White Chocolate Cranberry Panna Cotta out over the holidays, and let me know what you thought of it!
Looking for another easy holiday dessert? Try out these Matcha Oreo Truffles!
White Chocolate Cranberry Panna Cotta
Ingredients
For the White Chocolate Panna Cotta
- 2 Tbsp Cold Water
- 1 3/4 tsp Gelatin Powder
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup +2 Tbsp White Chocolate
- Pinch of Salt
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Cranberry Compote
- 1 1/2 cups Cranberries
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice
- 1 Orange Zest Peel
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Brown Sugar and Herb Crumble
- 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
- 3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Minced Fresh Rosemary
- 1 tsp Minced Fresh Sage
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter (diced)
Instructions
For the White Chocolate Panna Cotta
- Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the cold water. Allow it to sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Add the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, white chocolate and salt to a sauce pot. Heat it over medium heat, mixing frequently. You do not want the mixture to come to a boil. You just want to heat it enough so that the chocolate and sugar melt. Remove the pot from heat then add in the vanilla extract and gelatin. Mix until the gelatin has dissolved. Heat the mixture again if needed.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup with a spout. Evenly pour the panna cotta into 4 lightly greased ramekins. Place them into the fridge to chill and set for at least 6 hours or overnight.
For the Cranberry Compote
- Add all of the ingredients to a sauce pot. Heat it over medium heat until the mixture is lightly bubbling Mix and simmer for about 10 minutes until the cranberries break down and the juices have slightly thickened. Transfer the compote into a bowl and allow it to cool completely.
For the Brown Sugar and Herb Crumble
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the flour, brown sugar, rosemary, sage, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl. Mix until the ingredients are evenly combined. Add in the cold, diced butter.
- Use your fingertips to pinch the flour and butter together. Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter. Continue to work the butter into the flour until you get a mixture that resembles wet sand. It should come together when you squeeze it in your fist, then crumble into round clumps when you break it apart.
- Allow the mixture to fall apart into crumbled pieces then transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the crumble evenly out onto the baking sheet. Bake it in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Mix halfway through baking. Remove the crumble from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Break apart any clusters that have stuck together.
To Assemble:
- To unmold the panna cotta, run a knife along the edge of the panna cotta to separate it from the ramekin. Dip the ramekin in hot water and hold it in there for 10-15 seconds. Remove it from the hot water and place the serving plate on top of the ramekin. Holding the plate against the top of the ramekin, flip them over so that the plate is now on the bottom. Give the ramekin a firm tap and lift it up. The panna cotta should unmold onto the plate. If not, reheat the ramekin in the hot water and try again.
- If the cranberry compote has thickened too much while cooling, mix in a tablespoon of water at a time until it has loosened to a spreadable consistency. Spoon the compote on top of the panna cotta. Sprinkle the brown sugar and herb crumble on top and enjoy!
