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    Home » Desserts » Espresso Coffee Panna Cotta

    Espresso Coffee Panna Cotta

    Published: Feb 12, 2023 by Jessica Montanelli · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Total time to make this recipe: 3 hours 15 minutes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    panna cotta decorated with chocolate served on a plate

    A creamy Espresso coffee Panna Cotta is the perfect way to end any meal. It's easy to make and you can make it in advance to have it ready for your romantic dinner or lunch with friends or family. It will definitely be a crowd-pleaser for all coffee lovers.

    spoon taking a bite out of panna cotta on a plate

    If you're looking for a fancy yet easy dessert for your Valentine's day or anniversary dinner or maybe a dinner or lunch with your friends and family. Anyway, for any kind of occasion, this Coffee Panna Cotta is the perfect dessert!

    It checks all the boxes: easy to make, can be made in advance, a flavor that everybody likes, already portioned, and of course, delicious.

    If you want to pair it with more fancy yet easy recipes for your lunch/dinner, check out also this Shaved Artichoke Salad, and a luscious Saffron Risotto.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients & Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • 💭 FAQ & Tips
    • Related recipes you might like
    • 📖 RECIPE

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    Panna Cotta means "cooked cream" in Italian, so as the name says, the cream is the most important ingredient, followed by gelatin and flavorings.

    ingredient list for espresso panna cotta
    • Cream. Use unsweetened fresh heavy whipping cream. Do not use skim cream or half and half as it may not solidify correctly. I also cannot guarantee the result by using any other type of cream.
    • Gelatin. The best results are made with gelatin sheets. You can also use gelatin powder or agar-agar, but it needs more precision with the quantities and the panna cotta may be more granular instead of silky smooth. Read more here about the different gelatins.
    • Sugar. I used caster sugar, but standard granulated sugar or even brown sugar can be used instead.
    • Vanilla. I like to add fresh vanilla seeds from a vanilla bean because I love to see the black vanilla specks in the panna cotta. But feel free to instead use vanilla powder or vanilla paste (to get the same speckled effect) or vanilla extract.
    • Coffee. Freshly brewed strong Espresso coffee will give the best flavor to the panna cotta. Since the coffee is diluted in the cream, it's essential to use a strong flavorful blend to get the best coffee flavor. I used 4 Espresso cups to get ⅔ cups of coffee.

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    It's an easy process to make Panna Cotta, what takes the longest is to wait for them to set before you can taste them.

    hand putting gelatin in a bowl of water

    First, put the gelatin sheets one by one in a bowl with cold water for about 10 minutes.

    saucepan with cream, sugar and vanilla

    In a saucepan, add the cream with the sugar and the vanilla seeds and bring it close to a simmer (do not let it boil).

    hand pouring coffee in the pot with cream

    Turn off the heat and add the espresso coffee.

    hand squeezing the gelatin out of water

    Squeeze the gelatin sheets to remove the excess water and add them to the cream. Mix with a spoon or spatula for a few seconds.

    pouring the cream into the serving cups

    Pour the cream into the silicone molds or cups and let it cool completely.

    panna cotta decorated with chocolate served on a plate

    Set the Panna Cotta in the fridge for 2-3 hours until completely set. Decorate before serving.

    Variations

    Panna Cotta can be made with 1000 different flavors, that's one thing I love about this easy dessert. Once you mastered it, there are endless delicious combinations to try.

    • Moka - Chocolate and Coffee work perfectly together, that's why I like to add a layer of melted chocolate on top of the panna cotta. In the fridge, it will become crunchy and give a nice texture balance. You can also use ready-made chocolate syrup if you prefer it to stay liquid.
    • Decaf - Want the coffee flavor but not the caffeine? Use decaf coffee in the same quantity to get the same tasting dessert without any caffeine.
    • Caramel Macchiato - Add a finish of smooth melted caramel on top of the coffee panna cotta to get a delicious caramel latte flavor.
    • Plain Vanilla - If you want to make some simple vanilla panna cotta, substitute the amount of coffee with milk.

    Equipment

    All you need to make Panna Cotta is a saucepan, a silicone spoon or spatula, and of course the cutest molds!

    Use these individual silicone molds if you want to serve the panna cotta de-molded on a plate (see tips below on how to easily de-mold the panna cotta from the silicone mold):

    • Silicone mini Bundt molds (as pictured in this recipe)
    • Silicone cute Flowers molds
    • Silicone classic smooth cups molds
    • Silicone classic flower cups molds

    Or use these cute glasses and ramekins if you want to easily serve them as is, directly to the table:

    • Dessert glass bowls (as pictured in this recipe)
    • Classic smooth ceramic ramekins
    • Flower-shaped ceramic ramekins
    • Geometric ceramic ramekins

    Storage

    Panna cotta will keep up to 3 days in the fridge. Cover it with plastic wrap to avoid any flavor alteration.

    If needed, it's also possible to freeze panna cotta for up to 3 months. Keep in mind, though, that freezing may alter the texture and flavor.

    coffee panna cotta served in glass cups topped with chocolate

    💭 FAQ & Tips

    How to easily de-mold the panna cotta from the silicone mold

    First, with a knife gently and carefully detach the panna cotta from the mold's borders. Then place the silicone mold in hot water for a few seconds and flip it onto the serving plate. If it doesn't come out immediately, repeat the steps again. (Do not let it sit too long in hot water or it will melt.)

    How to decorate and serve panna cotta

    Although it's delicious on its own, panna cotta is better when served with a topping. I like to melt some dark chocolate and drizzle or spoon it on top of the set panna cotta, then put it back in the fridge. The chocolate will harden again giving you a crunchy texture. Alternatively, you can use chocolate syrup, caramel, or any other sauces of your choice to serve it up. Add sprinkles, chocolate flakes, or chocolate-covered coffee beans to decorate before serving.

    Can I make them in advance?

    You can and you should. Panna cotta should rest for 2-4 hours to get the perfect set consistency so it's important to calculate the timing well. You can also make them the day before to save you some time and be sure they'll be set on time.

    How do I store leftovers?

    Panna cotta will keep up to 3 days in the fridge. Cover it with plastic wrap to avoid any flavor alteration.
    If needed, it's also possible to freeze panna cotta for up to 3 months. Keep in mind, though, that freezing may alter the texture and flavor.

    coffee panna cotta seved on plates with spoons

    Related recipes you might like

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Soft Raspberry Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Chunks
    • Tronchetto di Natale (Italian Yule Log Cake)
    • Raspberry Chocolate mini Bundt Cakes
    • Easy Italian Apple Cake

    If you like this recipe, you can leave a comment and a star rating to support me. ★★★★★
    Thank you so much!

    📖 RECIPE

    panna cotta decorated with chocolate served on a plate

    Espresso Coffee Panna Cotta

    A creamy Espresso coffee Panna Cotta is the perfect way to end any meal. It will definitely be a crowd-pleaser for all coffee lovers.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Resting time: 3 hours
    Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Author: Jessica Montanelli

    Ingredients

    • ⅔ cup Espresso Coffee
    • 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
    • ½ cup Caster Sugar, see notes
    • 0.3 oz Gelatin sheets, see notes
    • 1 Vanilla bean, see notes
    • 3.5 oz Dark Chocolate, optional

    Instructions

    • First, put the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water until fully submerged. Add them one by one so they don’t stick together. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, pour the cream into a saucepan and add the sugar and vanilla (if you use a vanilla bean, carefully cut it open lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with the knife).
    • Turn the heat to medium-low and bring the cream almost to a simmer. It should be hot but not boiling and the sugar should be completely dissolved.
    • Turn off the heat and add the freshly brewed espresso coffee to the cream.
    • Squeeze the gelatin sheets to remove the excess water and add them to the cream as well. Mix well until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
    • Pour the cream into silicone molds or serving cups, then set them aside to cool completely.
    • Put the cooled Panna Cotta in the fridge for 2-3 hours until fully set.
    • Optional: Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave and spoon it over the set and de-molded panna cotta. Place them again in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to solidify.
    • Serve cool or at room temperature. Decorate with chocolate ribbons, sprinkles, or chocolate-covered coffee beans.

    Notes

    Sugar: You can use either caster sugar, regular granulated sugar, or raw brown sugar in the same quantity.
    Gelatin: In my case, 8 g/0.3 oz corresponds to 5 sheets of gelatin, but the weight may differ by brand. Check the weight per sheet on the box and calculate to get the right amount. Alternatively, you can use 2 ½ teaspoon of gelatin powder to replace the sheets. Add the gelatin powder to the hot cream at the same time as mentioned in the recipe and mix well to make sure it’s fully dissolved.
    Vanilla: You can substitute the vanilla bean with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon of vanilla powder.
    How to easily de-mold the panna cotta from the silicone mold: First, with a knife gently and carefully detach the panna cotta from the mold's borders. Then place the silicone mold in hot water for a few seconds and flip it onto the serving plate. If it doesn't come out immediately, repeat the steps again. (Do not let it sit too long in hot water or it will melt.)
    How to store: Panna cotta will keep up to 3 days in the fridge. Cover it with plastic wrap to avoid any flavor alteration. If needed, it's also possible to freeze panna cotta for up to 3 months. Keep in mind, though, that freezing may alter the texture and flavor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 660 kcal | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 54 g | Saturated Fat: 33 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14 g | Cholesterol: 135 mg | Sodium: 42 mg | Potassium: 311 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 34 g | Vitamin A: 1759 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 99 mg | Iron: 3 mg

    Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Have you tried this recipe?Snap a photo and tag @jess.cookingmydreams or use the hashtag #cookingmydreams!
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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm an Italian who moved to the Netherlands with a true passion for food, travel, and everything handmade. I love to experiment, learn new skills, and share my knowledge about everything I do!

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