Coffee Panna Cotta

The recipe for this espresso-infused variation is courtesy of Vicenzi, a family-run pasticceria that prepares ladyfingers, cookies, and other sweets in northern Italy, just outside of Verona. Enjoy!

Panna Cotta al Caffè (Coffee Panna Cotta)

Recipe courtesy of Vicenzi

Yield: 6 servings

1 1/3 cups fresh cream, chilled
4 ¼ tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon agar-agar powder
½ cup espresso coffee
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 (7-ounce) package of Ladyfingers

Equipment: six dome-shaped molds*

Melt the agar-agar with fresh milk inside a glass.

Boil half the cream with the sugar and the espresso coffee in a saucepan. Add the milk with agar-agar. Let it cook for two to three minutes after it has started simmering, using a whisk to stir continuously. The mixture should start to thicken. Try to maintain a creamy consistency because the more the mixture will cook, the more it will solidify.

Remove the saucepan from the stove and let it cool down completely, stirring a few times.

Meanwhile, whip the remaining cream, which should be very cold from the fridge. Blend it into the cooled cream and espresso mixture and stir gently.

Divide the mixture into six dome-shaped molds. Let them slightly cool down and lay two to three ladyfingers down on them. Cover with wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours. Agar-agar usually thickens without being stored in the refrigerator, but since the mixture also contains cream it is better to store it in a cool place.

Once the mixture is ready, run the blade of a knife along the edge of each mold and carefully turn them over on a plate.

*Nota bene: If you don’t have dome-shaped molds, you can use small bowls or glasses. Simply lay the ladyfingers on the bottom and cover with the coffee panna cotta.

Buon appetito!