Strawberry Panna Cotta Is Easy But It Seems Really Complicated

Have you ever had Panna Cotta?
Do you know what Panna Cotta is?
Hold on please, I am going to copy the definition of PANNA COTTA and then we will discuss it:
Panna cotta (from Italian cooked cream) is an Italian dessert made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool until set. It is generally from the Northern Italian region of Piedmont, although it is eaten all over Italy, where it is served with wild berries, caramel, chocolate sauce or fruit coulis. It is not known exactly how or when this dessert came to be, but some theories suggest that cream, for which mountainous Northern Italy is famous, was historically eaten plain or sweetened with fruit or hazelnuts. Earlier recipes for the dish did not directly mention gelatin, but instead included a step in which fish bones were boiled; this is now known to extract collagen from the bones, which turns to gelatin. Sugar, later a main ingredient, would not have been widely available as it was an expensive imported commodity. After years this treat evolved into what is now a gelatin dessert, flavored with vanilla and topped with fruit or spices, and served chilled.

There are a million different Panna Cotta recipes out there.  You can make Chocolate Panna Cotta.  You can make Lemon Panna Cotta.  You can make Triple Berry Chocolate Lemon Panna Cotta.  The only constant elements in Panna Cotta are Cream, Milk, Gelatin and Sugar.  

It has a very light and velvety texture.
The reason I love it so much is because it is very simple and it is SERVED CHILLED!

It requires very little cooking time and can be served with a variety of toppings: Fresh Fruit.  Crumbled Cookies.  Fresh Whipped Cream.  Caramel.  Chocolate Shavings.  YOU PICK!
 

The flavor combinations are ENDLESS!

This dessert looks like it would be very complicated and IT IS SO EASY! YAY!

I recently saw a recipe for Strawberry Panna Cotta and Strawberry Panna Cotta is my MOST FAVORITE.  
So, I thought I would share MY RECIPE for Strawberry Panna Cotta with YOU!

Here is the recipe for MY STRAWBERRY PANNA COTTA: 

2 1/2 cups Strawberries - chopped
2 cups Buttermilk
1 cup of Sugar  
2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
One tablespoon Orange Liquor
One Lemon - Zested
1/2 cup Fresh Basil - chopped  (If Basil in your dessert sounds weird, skip it.  BUT YOU ARE MISSING OUT!)
1/4 cup Whole Milk 
1/4 cup Heavy Cream

You will need 8 - 4 oz Souffle Dishes and they should be chillin' in the fridge while you make this!

-Mix the Strawberries, Buttermilk, Lemon Zest and Basil in a blender until pureed.

-Dissolve the Gelatin in the cold Milk for a couple minutes.

-Warm the Cream and Sugar in a sauce-pan until the cream starts to simmer.

REMOVE FROM HEAT!

-Add the Orange Liquor

-Add the Milk and Gelatin and stir until fully combined with a spoon (A whisk will incorporate too many bubbles)

-Add the Strawberry mixture 

-Remove the Souffles from the fridge and pour the mixture into each one evenly (this ensures that they set at the same time)

-Chill for at least 4 hours and serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream and top with chunks of crumbled vanilla cookie.

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

If you have other favorite flavors that you want to mix and match, please comment below and I can can suggest recipes for you!

Here is a Chocolate Mint Panna Cotta!

This is an Egg Nog Panna Cotta with Fresh Black Berries.

Add Orange Zest to your Panna Cotta for an AMAZING Citrus Burst!