Panna cotta without gelatin

Name: Panna cotta without gelatin
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fresh liquid cream 1 ¼ cup; Whole milk ½ cup; Egg whites (about 2) 2.5 oz; Sugar &frac13; cup; Vanilla bean ½; Fine salt 1 pinch; Strawberries 2 cups; Oranges juice and zest ½; Powdered sugar 2 spoonfuls

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341

Calories per serving

Gluten Free
Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 341
Carbohydrates g 17.2
of which sugars g 17.2
Protein g 6
Fats g 16.4
of which saturated fat g 9.39
Fiber g 3.8
Cholesterol mg 53
Sodium mg 368

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Makes: 4
Cost: Low
Note Plus about 2 hours for setting in the refrigerator

PRESENTATION

Panna cotta without gelatin is like a little treasure from the Piedmont region in Italy—really cool. And listen, this version shakes things up by ditching gelatin in favor of egg whites. It's a win for vegetarians or anyone avoiding gluten. You know, you still get that silky and soft feel, but with a bit more richness from the eggs. Plus, it’s gently baked in a bain-marie—gives it a creamy bite that just feels right.

And the best part? It doesn’t fall apart or get rubbery. Instead, this gelatin-free panna cotta holds together like a dream and melts away with every spoonful. Real vanilla in there makes it smell amazing—no question. Truthfully, it tastes just as good as the traditional style. Or maybe even better, really really homemade and a touch old-school. Perfect for sharing with friends, who'll be eager to try something a bit different.

In northern Italy, you’ll still find folks making their panna cotta without gelatin this way—especially when they want to keep it simple with what’s on hand. The exciting thing? It’s super versatile with toppings. In Piedmont, a fresh strawberry sauce is the go-to, mixed with orange zest and juice. It’s sweet and tangy, just super tasty. Also, you can switch it up with chocolate, caramel, or any fruit you fancy.

This gelatin-free panna cotta welcomes all sorts of creative spins. Try a panna cotta with agar-agar if you're into a fully plant-based vibe. It’s really fun to mess around with, and every time you make it, it feels both special and comforting. With its golden color and moist feel, this dessert brings a taste of Piedmont right to your table. Whether you’re entertaining or just indulging, this panna cotta offers a little touch of Italy's culinary magic—so so good.

INGREDIENTS

341

Calories per serving

for 4 panna cottas: Fresh liquid cream 1 ¼ cup (300 ml); Whole milk ½ cup (125 ml); Egg whites 2.5 oz (70 g) - (about 2); Sugar ⅓ cup (70 g); Vanilla bean ½; Fine salt 1 pinch

For the sauce: Strawberries 2 cups (300 g); Oranges ½ - juice and zest; Powdered sugar 2 spoonfuls

Preparation

How to prepare Panna cotta without gelatin

To prepare panna cotta without gelatin, pour the whole milk and cream into a saucepan 1. Scrape the seeds from half a vanilla pod with the tip of a knife 2 and add them to the liquids 3, along with the half pod.

Add the granulated sugar 4 and the pinch of salt 5 and bring the mixture to a near-boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar 6. Turn off the heat and let it infuse until it reaches room temperature.

At this point, remove the half pod with tongs 7 and break two medium eggs to obtain about 70 g (about 2.5 oz) of egg whites. Add the egg whites directly into the saucepan 8 and mix with a whisk or a spiral whisk 9 to break the egg white filaments and combine everything.

Pour the obtained mixture into 4 molds with a capacity of 6 oz each, using a funnel to avoid waste 10. Place the molds in a small baking pan and pour boiling water until covering the molds for ¾ of their height 11. Bake the panna cottas for 60 minutes in a preheated fan oven at 284°F (if static oven, 320°F for 65 minutes). The panna cottas should be well set and with a golden crust on the surface 12. Once cooked, remove the panna cottas without gelatin and let them cool in the bain-marie water, then place them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

After this time, unmold the panna cottas by running a well-sharpened knife, dipped in hot water, around the inner perimeter of the molds, then dip the mold for a couple of seconds in hot water 13 and turn it over onto a serving plate 14, allowing the panna cotta to gently slide towards the center of the plate 15.

Now, prepare the strawberry sauce for garnishing the panna cottas without gelatin: wash, hull, and cut the strawberries into pieces 16. Place the strawberries in a non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar 17 and flavor with part of the zest of half an orange, which you will grate, and the juice of half the orange 18. Cook the strawberries over low heat just until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries soften.

From the ungrated portion of the orange, remove a part free of the white and bitter part and cut it into thin strips or julienne, which you will then use for decoration. Pour the strawberry sauce flavored with orange around the panna cottas and decorate the surface with the orange zest strips. You can arrange them in a star shape 20 or curl them up as in the final photo. Here are your panna cottas without gelatin ready 21!

Storage

Panna cotta without gelatin can be stored in the refrigerator, well covered with plastic wrap to prevent odor absorption, for 2-3 days.
Freezing is not recommended.

Advice

Traditional flavors or ancient flavors? It's such an unsolvable dilemma that our advice is to try both. Traditional version: prepare a caramel sauce and spread it on the bottom of the molds before pouring in the panna cotta. When you unmold it, it will already be garnished and more delightful than ever! Ancient version: replace cow's milk with goat's milk, or use only fresh cream.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.