Lemon Vanilla Bean Pannacotta Recipe

Recently my mom and I decided to make one of our favorite desserts! It really turned out so amazing I just had to share the recipe with you! Pannacotta is an amazingly delicious creamy dessert. It has a soft yogurt like texture (a little thicker). This specific recipe is amazing. You will taste a hint of lemon while salivating over the decadent taste of fresh vanilla bean. Make this dessert for a special occasion, anniversary, holiday party or just because it is that amazing!

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons (using a microplane or zester)
• 1 whole vanilla bean

Directions 

1. In a small bowl add 1/2 cup milk and gelatin. Let rest for about 15 minutes, until gelatin is fully dissolved.
2. In a sauce pan combine whipping cream, 1/2 cup milk, sugar, and lemon zest.

   

3. Add the seeds from 1 vanilla into saucepan. To harvest the seeds, simply gently slice the vanilla bean open lengthwise, and scrape the inside contents (a paste like substance) directly into the pan. After you have gotten as much of the vanilla bean scraped out add the bean pod to the saucepan. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking continuously. Remember this is a milk/cream mixture so you do not want to let it get to a hard boil or the milk will burn. Remove mixture from heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
4. Return mixture to the stove top and bring it back to a simmer. Add gelatin mixture (that you made in step 1), stir until fully dissolved. In a cheese clothe or fine mesh strainer, strain out lemon zest from mixture. Ladle into 6-8 ramekins (mine were a little more than 3/4 cups each in size).
5. Place in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 8 hours. The texture is best when they have set for about 24 hours in the refrigerator.
6. To serve, release the edges of the Pannacotta with a sharp smooth knife, by gently sliding it around the edges of the ramekin. If it does not slide out easily. Put hot water in a cup and let the base of the ramekin sit in the hot water for about 15 seconds. This will loosen it up a little more making it easier to remove. Serve with a raspberry coolie or alone.

***Pictured above you can see the lemon-basil coolie we made to go with the Pannacotta, along with the raspberry coolie. However I preferred the Panna Cotta with just the raspberry sauce.