Growing up I bought “milk custard (奶酪)” in little clear plastic cups from the supermarket when I wanted a treat. Sometimes the fancier versions were topped with a little clear cap with a bit of crunchy cereal to be mixed in. I loved the milky silky snack. I always thought it was a concoction dreamed up by Taiwanese as an alternative to the popular little cups of egg custard.
Until I ordered a Panna Cotta in an Italian restaurant in NY. The super creamy and rich dessert was infused with vanilla beans and served with a blueberry sauce. My heart sang in joy.
Once I started looking up recipes, my childhood treat and Panna Cotta overlapped so much it finally clicked for me! AH… they’re one and the same. Except my childhood version was much lighter. My recipe below makes a fusion version that is lighter than the Italian version but creamier than my childhood snack.
Try mixing it with cereal for a nice crunch and texture.
[recipe]
Makes about 3-4 ramekins
[ingredients]
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup 2% Milk
- 60g Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 packet Gelatin powder
- 3 Tbsp Water
[directions]
- Sprinkle gelatin powder evenly over water and let stand for 10 minutes
- Heat cream, milk and sugar in pot until liquid is very warm (not boiling) and sugar is all dissolved then stir in vanilla extract
- Add hot liquid to bloomed gelatin, whisk to combine and make sure all gelatin is dissolved
- Divide liquid into ramekins and refrigerate until set (about 4-6 hours)
To de-mould run a small knife along the top of the ramekin then invert onto a plate. Dipping the bottom of the ramekin into hot water will also help the penna cotta slide out more easily.
Top with any sauce or jelly. Or with cereal for a delicious crunch.
[/recipe]