Panna cotta is a simple yet elegant dessert, perfect for a dinner party. This version is infused with vanilla and a grapefruit reduction and topped with sweetened crushed grapefruit and syrup.
Panna cotta is such an impressive dessert, and it takes, at the most, about 20 minutes to make, no baking required! The name literally means "cooked cream" in Italian, but it is much more than that.
The hardest part about making panna cotta is waiting for it to chill and set. You can pour the mixture into molds and turn them out onto little plates, or simply pour it into small bowls or glasses and let it set.
This grapefruit panna cotta with it's combination of vanilla and grapefruit, will remind you of a slightly bittersweet Creamsicle.
Ingredients in this Panna Cotta:
The sections and juice of two grapefruits: You reduce fresh grapefruit juice by half to intensify the flavor. You can substitute any citrus you prefer, such as orange, lemon, or lime. Whichever you choose, you will love the ethereal lightness of this dessert.
Vanilla: You can use vanilla extract, a vanilla bean, or vanilla bean paste (which I used). I love the flecks of vanilla.
Whole Milk, heavy cream, sugar, a pinch of salt, and unflavored gelatin.
How to Make This Panna Cotta:
First, cut strips of the zest of one of the grapefruits and set it aside. Squeeze the juice from the same grapefruit and bring it to a simmer in a small sauce pan until it has reduced to 1/4 cup and let it cool.
Next, fill a large bowl with about 15 ice cubes and two to three cups of water and set aside.
After that, in a large glass measuring cup, stir together the cream and the grapefruit zest and set aside. Add the milk to a 1-quart saucepan and sprinkle it with the unflavored gelatin. Let it sit for ten minutes. Heat the milk and gelatin mixture until it reaches 135 degrees F and remove from the heat. Add the sugar and pinch of salt and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Slowly stir in the cream, grapefruit juice, and vanilla, while stirring constantly. Remove the zest and pour the mixture back into the large measuring cup and place the cup in the ice water in the bowl and let chill for about 15 minutes.
Finally, pour the mixture into four ramekins, cover with plastic wrap (don't let the wrap touch the mixture), and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
To make the grapefruit topping, place the sections and juice of the other grapefruit into a sauce pan with some sugar and cook until the fruit has broken down and the sauce is syrupy.
This recipe makes four servings and can easily be doubled.
Helpful Tools:
4-cup measuring cup for chilling and pouring the mixture.
Large glass bowl for the ice bath.
Ramekins, custard cups, or silicone molds.
More Panna Cotta Recipes:
Yogurt Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce
More Recipes Featuring Grapefruit for National Grapefruit Month:
- Charred Grapefruit Gin & Tonic by Culinary Cam
- Grapefruit Chaat Salad Bowl by Sneha's Recipe
- Grapefruit Panna Cotta by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Paloma by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Thai Salad Yam Sam O by Pandemonium Noshery
Grapefruit Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 2 Fresh grapefruits
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 3/8 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut strips zest from one grapefruit and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the same grapefruit and bring it to a simmer in a small sauce pan until it has reduced to 1/4 cup. Let it cool.
- Fill a 4-quart bowl with about 15 ice cubes and two to three cups of water and set aside.
- In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, stir together the cream and the grapefruit zest and set aside. Add the milk to a 1-quart saucepan and sprinkle it with the unflavored gelatin. Let it sit for ten minutes. Heat the milk and gelatin mixture until it reaches 135 degrees F. Remove it from the heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the sugar and a pinch of salt and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Slowly add in the cream, grapefruit juice, and vanilla, while stirring constantly. Remove the zest and pour the mixture into a large measuring cup and place the cup in the ice water in the bowl and let chill for about 15 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into four ramekins, cover with plastic wrap (don't let the wrap touch the mixture), and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours and up to 24 hours before serving.
- Cut other grapefruit in half and then cut out the sections of fruit. Place them, as well as the juice in left in the grapefruit, into a small saucepan. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the grapefruit has broken up and the juice is syrupy. Add more sugar to taste and stir to dissolve.
- Serve over the chilled panna cottas.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
437.1Fat (grams)
33.42Sat. Fat (grams)
21.13Carbs (grams)
31.86Fiber (grams)
2.05Net carbs
29.81Sugar (grams)
27.12Protein (grams)
5.7Sodium (milligrams)
48.21Cholesterol (grams)
104.51
I love, love, love panna cotta. I have made all sorts of variations, but never one with grapefruit. Thanks for joining this month's event, Karen. I can't wait to try your recipe.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great theme!
DeleteI have never made panna cotta and this grapefruit version sounds scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteOnce you try making it, it will be one of your new favorites!
DeleteThat's a fantastic twist to a panna cotta, love it!
ReplyDelete