Cooked cream, the Italian panna cotta

Panna cotta is one of those desserts that have conquered the world. Wherever one go, see, or read, one find a version of the cooked cream with gelatin. Easy to make and to love. This simple recipe has versions in many cuisines of the world, be it with eggs or not. The Brazilian manjar, the Mexican flan, the English pudding and the French créme de pots. Each one of these recipes bares some uniqueness, a difference, but the simplicity of ingredients and the delicious soft and creamy flavor is common to them all.



There are many fake version of panna cotta, as they are also called this way. It also comes in a wide selection of flavors, as fantastic as passion fruit, tangerines and raspberries. Here I go for its classic version, since I simply adore the delicate flavor of sweet cream with a splash of vanilla seeds. The best companion to my cooked cream is a soft sauce made of dried plums with very little sugar and water.

Cooked cream Italian way with dried plums sauce.

Recipe:

Cream
400ml fresh cream
120g sugar
1 teaspoon gelatin powder
Vanilla bean scraps

Sauce
5 dried plums
50ml water
2 tablespoons sugar

Dissolve the gelatin in one tablespoon of cold water and let it stand for 2 minutes. After it is melted add it to the cream, add the sugar, the scraps of the vanilla and cook it until it boils, mixing it, and let it boil for 30 seconds. Divide the cream in 4 ramekins, let them cool and refrigerate. It will be ready for serving in 4 hours.



Sauce:

Melt the sugar in boiling water over a medium-low heat. Add the plums diced and let it cook for 5 minutes or until you have an sauce with caramel color and medium consistency.

Warm the bottom of the ramekins in hot water and transfer the cream to a plate. Add the sauce and serve. Depending on the size of the pot, this recipe can serve 4 to 6 portions.