Blueberry Lime Panna Cotta

Let's face it, my first attempt at panna cotta was truly a failure. It was the wrong texture, the wrong taste... the elusive panna cotta was out of my grasp.

I do not deal with failure well, especially when it comes to cream and sugar. I needed to redeem myself and so I gave panna cotta another chance. Oh, I am glad I did.

This panna cotta has exactly what a classic Italian panna cotta should have: a creamy texture, light taste, and is incredibly simple to make. I call it a success. However, the blueberry lime sauce takes this panna cotta to a completely different level. The blueberry and lime flavors dance together in a very delicate and curious tango. This entire recipe takes less than twenty minutes to make, sauce and all. Now you have no excuse not to get cooking!

Blueberry Lime Panna Cotta
Adapted from David Lebovitz

Yields 8 servings

Panna Cotta
4 cups heavy cream (or half-and-half if you want to cut calories)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 packets (4 1/2 teaspoons) powdered gelatin
6 tablespoons cold water

Lightly grease 8 ramekins or cups with oil.

In a large saucepan, heat cream and sugar until sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, combine powdered gelatin and cold water. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, after the gelatin has set, stir into the cream and sugar mixture. Stir until the gelatin completely dissolves into the cream.

Pour the panna cotta into the ramekins. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 4 hours, or until panna cotta has completely set.

To serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of each panna cotta and invert onto a serving plate.

Blueberry Lime Sauce
2 cups (1 pint) blueberries
2 limes
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

To begin, zest each lime. Make sure the zest is a fine zest. You may the slice the zest into smaller pieces with a knife if this is not the case. Take one of the zested limes and juice it. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the blueberries, lime zest, the juice of one lime, and the sugar. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes to allow the blueberries to soften and release their juices. Stir occasionally. When cooked, add the cornstarch to the sauce to thicken.

Refrigerate the sauce to keep delicious.

If you happen to find yourself with extra sauce, it can easily be added to top ice cream and sorbets. Or, if you love margaritas like I do, you can take a few spoonfuls and blend it in for a unique blueberry lime flavor!

Comments

[ajcabuang04]

I've never eaten panna cotta but I want to give it a go. It def. looks easy!! Yours looks really good!! Great pictures as well!
Would you mind checking out my blog? :D http://ajscookingsecrets.blogspot.com/

[Prerna]

Hey thr,
Just discovered your blog and went through a few recipes and I just had to drop a line to let you know that how much I'm loving it! I'm going straight into the kitchen and trying your panna cotta recipe NOW!
Keep up the good work and keep bringing delicious food out of that kitchen!

[Jennifer]

I just made panna cotta today too! Great job this time around, it looks fabulous and I love the pairing of lime with the blueberries!

[Marie Eames]

I've decided to try out your Panna Cotta recipe after debating on which of your wonderful recipes I wanted to make first, hahah. They're in the fridge cooling as I type this, so here's to hoping they turn out!

Great photography of your food, by the way.

[Heather Spano]

Last night I made this dessert as the end of my engagement dinner. The panna cotta was so light and so creamy! Even with the half-and-half, the flavors were there. I did have an issue with turning the panna cottas out onto plates though, and was wondering if there was a specific oil you used to grease the ramekins with? I used olive, and the tops would not completely come out :(

[Kristin Rosenau]

Heather-- Running the bottom of the ramekin under hot water for 30-40 seconds will loosen the panna cotta from it. Simply run a knife around the edges, invert, and it should come out whole onto a plate. I used a basic vegetable oil to remove the panna cotta. I hope this helps!

[Tara]

I just made this recipe Friday night being sure to follow the directions exactly but the panna cotta never set. In an effort to save the dessert, I poured the still liquid contents of the ramekins into a saucepan and heated on low stirring until the gelatin was completely dissolved. Then I poured it back into the ramekins and put them back in the fridge. Voila! That totally worked and I tried one with the blueberry lime sauce- so delicious!

[Liz, ND]

OMG this is divine - and another hit with my supper club. This was a hit at home too. The lime adds just the right zing to the blueberry sauce and the sauce is the perfect companion to the Panna Cotta, cutting the richness of the cream. It's so easy to make but the end result is restaurant-worthy: elegant and tasty. I made it exactly as written except that I added an extra 1/2 tsp of cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it just a little more. Thank you!