The Silky Coffee Panna Cotta Recipe You’ll Love to Make

Rich and silky coffee panna cotta elevates an ordinary dessert into a luxurious culinary experience that tantalizes taste buds.

Traditional Italian techniques merge with bold caffeine-infused elegance in this sophisticated treat.

Smooth, creamy textures promise a decadent journey through subtle flavor nuances.

Each spoonful delivers a delicate balance between sweet cream and robust coffee undertones.

Gelatin provides the perfect structural support, creating a trembling, light-as-air consistency that melts effortlessly on your tongue.

Professional pastry techniques elevate this dessert from simple to extraordinary, making it ideal for intimate gatherings or elegant dinner parties.

You’ll appreciate how minimal ingredients can produce such an impressive result.

Pairing Options for a Café-Style Dessert

• Pair with Espresso Martini: Amplify the coffee notes by serving alongside a smooth, chilled espresso martini that echoes the dessert's rich coffee flavor and adds a sophisticated cocktail twist.
• Match with Dark Chocolate Biscotti: Complement the creamy panna cotta with crisp dark chocolate biscotti, creating a delightful textural contrast and enhancing the dessert's deep coffee undertones.
• Serve with Amaretto Liqueur: Drizzle a small amount of amaretto over the panna cotta or serve as a side drink, bringing out nutty, sweet notes that beautifully intertwine with the coffee's robust profile.
• Garnish with Caramel Pecan Crunch: Sprinkle toasted pecans and a light caramel drizzle on top to add a crunchy texture and buttery sweetness that balances the smooth, coffee-infused dessert.

Panna Cotta Flavor Enhancements to Try

• Espresso Mocha Panna Cotta: Enhance the coffee flavor by using freshly brewed espresso instead of instant coffee, and add a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a rich mocha profile.
• Kahlúa Infused Panna Cotta: Incorporate a splash of Kahlúa liqueur into the cream mixture for a boozy, indulgent dessert that adds depth and warmth to the classic recipe.
• Caramel Coffee Panna Cotta: Swirl in homemade caramel sauce before chilling, creating beautiful marbled layers and intensifying the sweet, complex coffee notes.
• Hazelnut Coffee Panna Cotta: Mix in hazelnut syrup or fold chopped roasted hazelnuts into the mixture, providing a nutty crunch and complementary flavor to the coffee base.

What Makes Coffee Panna Cotta So Elegant

• Luxurious Caffeine Dessert: Indulge in a silky smooth coffee-infused treat that delivers a rich, creamy experience with a delightful coffee kick.
• Quick and Elegant Preparation: Effortlessly create a sophisticated dessert in under 30 minutes, with most of the time spent chilling, making it perfect for stress-free entertaining.
• Texture Paradise: Enjoy an incredibly smooth, melt-in-your-mouth dessert that combines the velvety softness of panna cotta with the bold, aromatic essence of freshly brewed coffee.
• Impressive Finish: Wow your guests with a restaurant-quality dessert that looks professionally crafted yet requires minimal culinary skills, complete with decadent chocolate caramel drizzle and elegant chocolate curls.

Ingredients for Coffee Panna Cotta

• Heavy Cream: Rich and smooth base that gives creamy texture to the dessert.
• Milk: Helps balance the richness and provides lighter consistency.
• Sugar: Essential sweetener that balances coffee's bitter notes.

• Instant Coffee: Provides deep, rich coffee flavor without adding extra liquid.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, complex undertone that complements coffee.
• Salt: Small pinch enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness.

• Gelatin: Helps set the dessert into a smooth, wobbling texture.
• Cold Water: Activates and softens gelatin for proper setting.

• Chocolate Caramel Sauce: Adds rich, decadent topping for extra indulgence.
• Chocolate Curls: Provides elegant visual and textural contrast.
• Non-Stick Spray: Ensures easy removal of panna cotta from ramekins.

Instructions for Silky Smooth Panna Cotta

Step 1: Prepare Ramekins

Grab your ramekins and lightly coat them with cooking spray to ensure easy release later. Set aside while you start creating your delightful dessert.

Step 2: Activate Gelatin

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin powder and pour cold water over it. Let the mixture sit quietly for 10 minutes, allowing the gelatin to soften and absorb the liquid.

Step 3: Create Coffee Cream Base

• Heavy cream
• Whole milk
• Sugar
• Instant coffee granules

Warm the mixture over medium-low heat, gently whisking to help sugar and coffee dissolve completely.

Step 4: Incorporate Gelatin

Once tiny bubbles appear around the pot’s edges and ingredients are fully blended, remove from heat. Whisk in the softened gelatin until the mixture becomes silky smooth.

Step 5: Enhance Flavor Profile

• Pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract

These ingredients will elevate the dessert’s overall taste experience.

Step 6: Chill Dessert

Carefully pour the coffee mixture into prepared ramekins. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours or overnight for perfect setting.

Step 7: Elegant Serving

When ready to serve, briefly dip each ramekin in hot water for 5 seconds. Gently invert onto serving plates. Drizzle with chocolate caramel sauce and sprinkle chocolate curls on top for a stunning presentation.

Tips for Infusing Coffee Flavor Just Right

• Master Gelatin Blooming: Ensure gelatin dissolves completely by using cold water and letting it sit undisturbed for exactly 10 minutes, creating a smooth texture.
• Control Coffee Intensity: Adjust instant coffee quantity to personalize the strength of coffee flavor, from mild to robust espresso-like profile.
• Prevent Skin Formation: Cover ramekins with plastic wrap directly touching the surface to stop unwanted skin from developing during chilling.
• Smooth Unmolding Technique: Briefly dip ramekins in hot water and run a thin knife around edges to guarantee clean, effortless release of panna cotta.
• Enhance Presentation: Create beautiful chocolate curls by using a vegetable peeler on a room temperature chocolate bar for an elegant finishing touch.

How to Store and Serve Coffee Panna Cotta

• Refrigerate: Store Coffee Panna Cotta in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Keep covered with plastic wrap to prevent absorption of other food odors.
• Freeze: Do not freeze panna cotta, as the delicate texture will break down and become watery upon thawing, compromising its smooth, creamy consistency.
• Reheat: Avoid reheating this dessert. Coffee Panna Cotta is best enjoyed chilled directly from the refrigerator, maintaining its silky texture and rich coffee flavor.

Coffee Panna Cotta Recipe

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4.8 from 16 reviews

• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Silky smooth coffee panna cotta whispers Italian dessert elegance with rich espresso notes. Creamy custard melts on your palate, delivering a luxurious finale that lingers like a memorable cafe moment in Rome.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups (296 milliliters) heavy cream
• ¾ cup (177 milliliters) whole milk
• ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

Coffee and Flavor Enhancers:

• 2 tablespoons (10 grams) Highground instant coffee
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) pure vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt

Binding and Liquid Base:

• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) cold water
• 2 teaspoons (6 grams) unflavored gelatin

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Instructions

1. Prepare four individual serving vessels by lightly coating with non-stick spray, ensuring easy release after chilling.
2. Sprinkle gelatin powder into cold water, allowing it to soften and absorb liquid for approximately 10 minutes.
3. Combine heavy cream, milk, sugar, and instant coffee grounds in a medium saucepan, heating gently over medium-low temperature while continuously whisking to integrate ingredients smoothly.
4. Monitor the mixture until small bubbles emerge around the pan’s edges, indicating the sugar has completely dissolved.
5. Remove the saucepan from heat and incorporate the softened gelatin, stirring until the mixture becomes completely uniform and no gelatin granules remain visible.
6. Enhance the flavor profile by introducing a delicate pinch of salt and pure vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly to distribute evenly.
7. Carefully transfer the silky coffee liquid into the prepared serving vessels, covering each with plastic wrap to prevent surface moisture.
8. Refrigerate the desserts for a minimum of 4 hours, allowing them to set completely and develop a luxurious, creamy texture.
9. When ready to present, briefly immerse each vessel in hot water for 5 seconds to facilitate smooth release.
10. Gently invert the panna cotta onto elegant serving plates, embellishing with a drizzle of rich chocolate caramel sauce and delicate chocolate curls for a sophisticated finish.

Notes

• Prepare ramekins in advance to ensure a smooth, easy release of the delicate panna cotta.
• Blooming gelatin is crucial for creating a silky, smooth texture without lumps in the dessert.
• Use medium-low heat to gently dissolve sugar and coffee, preventing scorching and maintaining a creamy consistency.
• Whisk gelatin thoroughly to guarantee a uniform, smooth mixture throughout the dessert.
• Chilling for at least 4 hours allows the panna cotta to set perfectly and develop a rich, intense coffee flavor.
• Warm water bath technique helps release the dessert from ramekins without damaging its delicate structure.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Drinks
• Method: None
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 300
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 50mg
• Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 80mg