Blueberry Guava Panna Cotta |Cooking With Amanda

The first time I ever had panna cotta was in Lake Como, Italy. I had been traveling in Europe on business and then went to a seminar an American friend was giving in northern Switzerland. I'm not sure how an add-on trip came to be, but some friends joined me for a four-day excursion around the Lombardy Lake region of Italy. We scaffolded together a rough plan, booked a few hotels and took off to explore, eat, drink and relax.

We stayed at the Palace Hotel in Lake Como. It was quite grand; old and, well, palatial. The rooms were gorgeous and felt like staying in a palace (or what I imagine staying in a palace would feel like). What I really loved about the trip was lazing in the midafternoon over cups of thick, serious espresso and desserts. We'd sit outside on a patio with a view of the lake and while away the time, pondering deep topics and complete frivolity alike.

This was where I first experienced panna cotta. Thick and creamy, it reminded me of a more sophisticated cousin to a pudding or custard, yet with more elegance and distinguished form. It was cool on the steamy afternoons by the lake. I loved the light flavor, and silky consistency as it sat primly in a small rounded dome on my dainty plate, never slouching or sloppy looking.

Somehow it was not until years later I realized I could make panna cotta myself. I'm not sure why it had never occurred to me. Perhaps my memories of the trip and the sophisticated setting were so intertwined with the regal dessert that I could not imagine making the it in my simple home kitchen. But I got over that quickly!

Panna cotta must be one of the easiest desserts both to make but also to flavor uniquely. It is a cream-based dessert made with gelatin which gives it the proper, unrelenting form. A few ingredients, a few minutes, a long chill and dessert is served.

I'm always up for a challenge and couldn't resist creating an unexpected version of panna cotta with a blueberry guava gelatin. The presentation is so fun and much like making panna cotta itself, creating this geometric surprise presentation is quite easy too.

It's done in a two-part process. First making the fruit gelatin and allowing that to gel on its side and then filling the little tumblers with the panna cotta. Aren't they cute? The hardest part is waiting until they are ready to be devoured!

If you like this recipe you will probably love these roasted spring vegetables with butternut squash noodle dish or maybe some moscato sangria?!

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Blueberry Guava Panna Cotta Recipe

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Ingredients

1 cup guava nectar
2 packets unflavored gelatin
3 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lime zest

Directions

To Make the Blueberry Guava Gelatin:

In a small microwaveable bowl combine the guava nectar and one packet of gelatin. Stir to combine and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Place the fully thawed blueberries in the blender and blend to fully puree. The required amount is 1 1/2 cups of puree. Add more berries if needed to yield 1 1/2 cup.
Place the bowl with gelatin in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir the gelatin mixture. Combine the gelatin and puree in a large liquid measuring cup to make pouring easy. Stir to fully combine.
Place the tumblers on their side in the cavities of a mini muffin tin (refer to photo). Gently pour the gelatin mixture into each container until the liquid is almost at the edge of the glass. Place into the refrigerator and allow to chill until firm; approximately 2 hours.

To Make the Panna Cotta:

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of the milk and the second packet of gelatin. Stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes.
In a heavy, medium size saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, cream, and the sugar. Over medium-low heat stir the mixture constantly to fully dissolve the sugar and heat the liquids (should not simmer or boil). Add the gelatin mixture, whisking it together until the gelatin have dissolved into the liquid. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and lime zest.
Remove the containers from the refrigerator and set them upright on a small baking sheet. Pour the cream mixture into a large liquid measuring cup (to ease pouring into the containers).
Pour the cream mixture into the containers until it almost reaches the top and meets the top most point of the blueberry-guava gelatin making a geometric pattern.
Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator and allow the panna cotta to fully set; about 4 hours.