Panna cotta has always been a simple dessert. Cream, sugar, vanilla, and something to hold it all together. For most recipes, that something is gelatin, and it works fine... But fine isn't the same as great, and the difference is in the texture and taste.
I first realized this at a small Italian restaurant, run by a chef who trained in Northern Italy, which is where panna cotta was born. His version didn't bounce or hold a clean edge when he unmolded it. It pooled slightly on the plate, barely holding together, and tasted like sweet vanilla cream. When I asked how he made it, the answer was "egg whites, no gelatin".
The technique made immediate sense once I tried it at home. Egg white proteins set the cream gently at a relatively low temperature. Instead of the firm, slightly rubbery texture and distinct smell that gelatin gives you, everything stays soft and rich allowing the flavor of the cream and vanilla to shine.
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Why My Recipe Works
- Egg whites set the cream without making it gummy - Gelatin creates a network that holds liquid in a firm, springy matrix. Egg white proteins work differently. They coagulate gently at around 163F, creating a delicate structure that stays creamy and silky smooth. Leaving the yolks out keeps the panna cotta pure white while minimizing the eggy smell.
- A water bath keeps the temperature low and even - Baking the custard in a water bath at 280°F (140°C) means the ramekins never get hotter than the water around them while giving the custard a moist environment that prevents the panna cotta from drying out on top.
- High-fat cream does the heavy lifting - The higher the butterfat in your cream, the richer and silkier the result. I use 42% butterfat heavy cream, and you can feel the difference compared to standard 36%. The fat melts on your tongue and gives this gelatin-free panna cotta that buttery quality that makes this dessert worth making.
Ingredients
Key ingredients and why they matter
- Heavy cream: This is the star. You want the highest butterfat cream you can find, ideally 40% or above. Standard heavy cream (36%) works, but the texture won't be as luxurious. The fat is what gives panna cotta its signature richness.
- Egg whites: The whites are the setting agent, replacing gelatin entirely. I don't include the yolks because they tend to have an eggy flavor which we don't want here.
- Sugar: Two kinds in this recipe. Granulated sugar goes into the cream for sweetness. A separate batch of evaporated cane sugar gets cooked into caramel for the bottom of the ramekins, giving you a golden, bittersweet layer underneath.
- Vanilla extract: One teaspoon. It disappears into the cream and rounds out the flavor without competing with it. If you make your own vanilla extract, this is a good place to use it.
Substitutions
- If you only have lower-fat cream: It will still set, but the texture will be noticeably lighter and less rich.
- If you want to skip the caramel: Leave the ramekins plain and serve the panna cotta with a raspberry coulis or fresh berries instead. The caramel is beautiful, but the panna cotta is just as good without it.
Prep Notes
- You want your cream warmed but not boiling when it meets the egg whites. If it's too hot, it will cook the egg. Lukewarm is the sweet spot and if you're in a rush you can use a cold water bath to chill the cream a bit.
- Have an instant read thermometer ready for the caramel and the custard.
- Get your boiling water ready before you start assembling the ramekins because you want to get the water bath into the oven while the custard is warm.
How to Make Panna Cotta
The whole process has two stages: making the caramel, then building and baking the custard. Neither one is complicated, but the caramel moves fast and the custard needs a gentle hand.
The Caramel
Start by adding three tablespoons of water to a saucepan, then pour the evaporated cane sugar into the center. Cover and bring it to a boil so the steam washes any crystals off the sides of the pan. Once the sugar dissolves, remove the lid and watch the color. You're looking for a medium amber, which happens right around 350°F (175°C). It goes from golden to burnt in seconds, so don't let it out of your sight.
When the caramel hits the right color, pull it off the heat and carefully pour in two tablespoons of water. It will sputter and steam aggressively. Whisk it smooth, then divide it between six ramekins. Work quickly because the caramel starts setting the moment it leaves the heat.
The Custard
Heat the cream with the granulated sugar and vanilla, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Don't let it boil. You want it warm enough to dissolve the sugar and infuse the vanilla, but cool enough that it won't cook the egg whites when you combine them. If it gets too hot, set the pot in a bowl of cold water for a minute or two.
Measure the egg whites into a tall measuring cup or container. Pour the warm cream over them. Put the hand blender into the mixture without turning it on, and gently swish it around to release any air trapped near the blades. Then, keeping the blender fully submerged, pulse until everything is smooth and homogeneous, being careful not to whip in any air.
TIP: Keeping the blender fully submerged is the key to a silky panna cotta. The moment the blending head breaks the surface, it whips air into the mixture. Those air bubbles bake into a foamy, spongy texture instead of the dense, creamy one we're after.
Baking
Divide the custard between the ramekins (over the caramel layer) and set them on an oven-safe tray. Pour boiling water into the tray until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Slide the whole thing into a 280°F (140°C) oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
The custard is done when a thermometer reads 163°F (73°C) in the center. It will still look quite jiggly and liquid at this point, which is fine. The proteins continue to set as the panna cotta cools.
TIP: If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, look for the custard to be barely set around the edges with a gentle wobble in the center. Better to pull it early and chill it longer than to overbake it.
What to Watch For
- Custard is grainy or has visible bits - The cream was too hot when it hit the egg whites, or the blending wasn't thorough enough. If you're worried about this, you can strain the custard mixture through a tea strainer as you pour it into the ramekins.
- Panna cotta won't unmold cleanly - Run a thin knife or needle around the edge, then give the ramekin a firm shake to break the seal.
- Too firm after chilling - You either overbaked it or used too many egg whites. The texture should be just barely set, closer to a thick cream than a flan. Next time, pull it from the oven a few degrees earlier and let the residual heat finish the job.
Storage and Reheating
Panna cotta keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days, covered with plastic wrap. The texture actually improves after a full day of chilling because the cream has more time to set evenly. Don't freeze it. The ice crystals break the delicate protein structure and you'll end up with something grainy. Serve it cold, straight from the fridge.
Serve This With
Panna cotta is rich enough that it doesn't need much alongside it. A simple raspberry coulis spooned over the top is the classic move, and the tartness cuts through the cream beautifully. If you're skipping the caramel base, a spoonful of Meyer lemon curd adds a bright, tangy contrast that works just as well.
Other Custard Desserts
- Burnt Basque Cheesecake
- Vegan Vanilla Panna Cotta
- Meyer Lemon Curd
- Best Chocolate Pudding
- Molten Chocolate Omelette
- Crustless Milk and Cardamom "Pumpkin Pie"
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients
For caramel
- 3 tablespoons water
- 115 grams evaporated cane sugar (about ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons water
For Panna Cotta
- 1 ⅔ cup heavy cream (I used 42% butterfat)
- 75 grams granulated sugar (about ⅓ cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cups egg whites (about 3-4 eggs)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 280 degrees F (140 C).
- Prepare a tray with 6 six ounce ramekins.
- Add 3 tablespoons water to a saucepan with a lid and then add the 115 grams evaporated cane sugar into the middle of the pot. Cover with a lid and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to boil with the lid on until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Once the sugar has melted remove the lid and and start measuring the temperature. You can stir it at this point if you need to.
- When the caramel reaches a medium brown color (350 degrees F), remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly and carefully pour 2 tablespoons water into it, whisking to combine. Be very careful as the hot caramel will sputter.
- Divide the caramel between the ramekins.
- Boil some water
- To prepare the custard, put the 1 ⅔ cup heavy cream, 75 grams granulated sugar , and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a pot and heat, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved (don't let the mixture boil). Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool to lukewarm. You can use an ice bath to speed this up.
- While you're waiting for the cream to cool, measure out the ⅔ cups egg whites into a tall liquid measuring cup. If you don't have one, you can use any tall container your hand blender will fit in.
- Once the cream has cooled, pour the cream mixture into the egg whites. Stick the hand blender in the mixture and swish it around a bit without turning it on to remove any air trapped near the blades. With the blender fully submerged, pulse until the mixture is homogeneous. The idea is to mix evenly without incorporating any air.
- Divide the Panna Cotta custard between the ramekins and pour boiling water into the tray halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Carefully put the tray into the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the custard has reached 163 degrees F (73 C).
- Let the ramekins cool, cover and refrigerate until set.
- Run a hot paring knife or needle around the edge of the ramekin to separate and then unmold the Panna Cotta onto a plate. Garnish with strawberries, or other berries.
Nutrition Facts
FAQ
While most recipes call for gelatin to set the custard, this recipe uses egg whites as the setting agent, which produces a softer, silkier texture.
Most recipes do. This one doesn't. Egg whites replace gelatin entirely, which makes it gelatin-free and suitable for people who avoid gelatin for dietary or religious reasons.
Yes. Panna cotta is naturally gluten free. The ingredients in this recipe are cream, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla, none of which contain gluten.
After baking, the panna cotta needs at least 3-4 hours in the refrigerator to set completely. Overnight is even better. The custard will look very liquid when it comes out of the oven, but the cream and egg proteins firm up as they cool.
Panna cotta is an Italian cream dessert from the Piedmont region. The name translates to "cooked cream," and that's essentially what it is: cream sweetened with sugar, set into a soft custard, and served cold. It's one of the simplest Italian desserts to make, and the texture, when done well, is unlike anything else.
Wendy says
So many people saying gelatin is "flavor less" but it is not. It is really stinky. It is a comfort someone finally point this out loudly. Love this custard version for sure!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Wendy I'm with you. As a kid I hated any gelatin dessert because of the funky taste. As an adult I've found some uses for gelatin such as in stews and hamburgers, but I generally like my desserts without gelatin. Hope you enjoy this!
yolo says
it is very soft a fluffy and simple to make
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks! I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Harleen Khaira says
Help! The middle bit is still wet on three of them. Can I save them or did I not bake them long enough so now they’ll remain this way?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Harleen when you say "wet" do you mean they're runny? If so they're probably undercooked. You could try and save them by covering them with foil and putting them in a steamer on the stove to finish cooking them. If you mean they're just soft this is normal and they will set up some more when you chill them.
Don Wilson says
I am so happy to have found this. We just got back from spending a couple of weeks in the Northern Italian countryside and one of our best desserts was a panda cotta that did not use gelatin. They told us the ingredients, but said theirs had one secret ingredient they wouldn't give up... Oh well. Looking forward to making this right away. Thank you.
Marc Matsumoto says
I hope you enjoy it Don!
Harleen Khaira says
Did you have it at Trattoria zaza in FLorence?
RedCloudLove says
Oh, man, I am so grateful to have found this after hunting the grocery store for gelatin to no avail. I should have known Marc Matsumoto had written this recipe and saved my life!! Thank you, this is delectable
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm happy to hear this was helpful!
Fabio says
Perfect traditional recipe as is used in Piemonte! Great results.
Marc, what do you think about using a mix of whole milk and heavy cream instead of just heavy cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Fabio! Using a mix of milk and cream would make it lighter. It's not necessarily a bad thing if you want something healthier or more refreshing. It shouldn't have much effect on how the recipe works.
Matt says
This is literally the recipe for a crème caramel, not a panna cotta. If you use heavy cream rather than cream and milk, thicken with eggs rather than gelatin, and add caramel, it’s crème caramel.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Matt, Piemonte is quite close to France so the similarity is not too surprising. Please read the headnotes.
Kathy Stroup says
If you prefer gelatin in your panna cotta, I suppose this isn't going to be "panna cotta" to you. Nevertheless, this is a recipe for an authentic Panna Cotta. And most dishes are claimed by multiple cultures in the region they come from. Not a surprise.
Adam says
Very delicious recipe! The first time I made it, I cooked the panna cotta in the oven too long which resulted in a sulfurous smell.
A question regarding the correct temperature: do you use a infrared thermometer or a thermometer with a probe to measure the mentioned 163 F?
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it! An infrared thermometer only measures the surface temperature. For most baked goods you're going to want to know the internal temperature for which you'll need to use a probe. I hope that helps!
TM says
This may be the secret to the best-ever panna cotta I had in my entire life, at a fantastic restaurant in Vernazza on the Cinque Terra. The location definitely checks out.
Every single panna cotta I've had since then - no matter how fine the restaurant - has been just a bit too much on the "rubbery" side in comparison. So I will be trying this - probably with sheep's milk and cream - and hoping for the best.
But I feel certain this will be the closest to the sublime version I had in Italy - thank you!
Marc says
Hi TM, I'm happy to hear I was able to give you some ideas for pursuing your memory of the perfect panna cotta. I hope it's able to live up to your expectations!
Leticia Metallo says
I love this recipe with egg whites, it's actually very Keto friendly. Never Gelatin
I would love to see how using dark chocolate will keep the custard texture and
be just as decadent. I'm wondering if the other ingredients would have to be
adjusted.
Ps: I put a single wrapped soft caramel on the bottom of the ramekin.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Leticia, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this! Great call using premade caramel to speed things up. It might be a little difficult to incorporate melted chocolate into the custard, but you could add a high quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. I also have a chocolate pudding recipe that uses a different process but is also very good: https://norecipes.com/best-chocolate-pudding/
Sammy says
I've made this panna cotta recipe 4 times, and while it tastes great, it has never fully set. Even after leaving it in the fridge for 24 hours, it does not set. I bake it for around 40 minutes, could it be that I need to bake it longer? I follow all the steps exactly as written.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sammy, I'm sorry to hear you're having troubles with this. I could questions 1) Are you measuring out the egg yolks using a US 2/3 cup (eggs are various size so going by the number of eggs won't always work)? 2) After baking for 30-40 minutes, are you checking that the internal temperature of the custard has reached 163°F(73°C)? The thermostat on most ovens is off so it's possible your oven either needs to be set higher or the panna cotta needs to be cooked for more time.
Shantanu says
Marc
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I want to use sous vide for the cooking the panna cotta instead of the oven. What temperature do you recommend I set on the immersion circulator? I am guessing 163F (73C) since that's the temperature in your instructions. How much time would you recommend?
Thank you.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Shantanu, that's a good question. I've never tried it, but most recipes for seem to call for setting the circulator for between 175-179F and cooking it for an hour. Using sous vide for custards always seemed like more work than it was worth so I usually just use a double boiler in an oven.
Liz says
I love this recipe, and I've made it a few different ways. It is endlessly versatile. I made a baileys panna cotta by substituting 1/3 of a cup of baileys for 1/3 of a cup of cream. I poured salted caramel sauce (different recipe) into the bottom of small, clear jars and put them in the freezer for around 1 hour first, so that when poured the panna cotta mixture on top the caramel sauce would remain intact. They were BEAUTIFUL. Then I turned the same mixture into mango-coconut tarts by substituting half of the cream with a mixture of coconut milk and coconut cream (staying above 33% fat). I removed 3 tbsp of the cream mixture before adding the eggs and substituted back in 3 tbsp of pureed fresh mango and the mixture didn't curdle and was absolutely delicious. I poured this into a pre-baked hazelnut flour tart crust to bake and served topped with fresh mango and coconut flakes. What I've personally found with this recipe is that if you keep the fat at/above about 33%, maintain the ratios and are careful not to add too much acid (I only added 3 tbsp of mango puree but I'd be careful about adding say, berries...) you can use it for practically anything. Amazing!
Marc Matsumoto says
Wow thanks for sharing all of your variations Liz, they sound amazing! If you want to make a creamy custard with more acid (i.e. raspberries, passionfruit, lemon, etc) check out this recipe: https://norecipes.com/yuzu-posset-recipe/ It's how I make the custard for my keylime pie as well.
Ken says
So basically flan.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ken, in Spanish speaking countries it's known as flan and in France, crème caramel. The difference with this is that it's made without milk so it is very rich, and it's also made without yolks, which gives it a lighter color and less eggy taste.
Gigi says
I made this last night and it is so good! The first time I ever had Panna cotta was at an upscale restaurant in nyc. I tried other recipes to try and recreate it and all they all failed the nail the texture. It took me way too long to find this recipe. I’m officially converted against gelatin.
I don’t have an immersion blender so I vigorously whisked mine and strained it a couple of times to remove the bubbles. I also substituted the caramel sauce for a strawberry and fig purée. I think the Panna Cotta base would work well just just about any kind of topping you can imagine. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Gigi, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this, thanks for dropping a comment to let me know. Strawberry fig purée sounds divine!
Saba says
I looked at other panna cotta recipes but they made no sense. Gelatin? Agar agar? No cook? There's no way those are close to authentic Italian panna cotta.
I made this the other night. Topped half the batch with mango reduction, the other half with butterscotch. Oh. My. Gosh. We were not prepared! Velvety smooth. Rich. Elegant. Simple. Perfectly sweet. As my husband declared after licking his ramekin: YUM YUM!
Follow the recipe guys! Measure out the ingredients. Chill in the fridge for the full 24 hours. Buy an immersion blender just for this dessert. I promise it's worth it!
This is it. This is the recipe we needed in our lives. Thank you!!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Saba, thanks for the kind note, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this! This is one of my favorite desserts. Have a great week!
Liz says
Hi Marc,
I made this for the second time yesterday. The first time it came out perfect and last night I felt like it was too eggy, like you could taste the cooked egg in it. Do you think that could be a cause of overwhipping or just a tad too much egg whites? Also, what's the best way to tell if they are cooked through because I don't have an instant-read thermometer. They were in for approx 34 minutes
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Liz, it sounds like you may have overcooked it. Egg whites contain sulfur which is released when the eggs are heated to over 180 degrees F. Eyeballing that 18 degree margin is pretty tough, so I'd recommend getting a thermometer (you can get one for as little as $10 and they don't take up a lot of space). Also using time is not a reliable method as the thermostat on most ovens is not accurate, and even if they were, different ovens circulate air differently which results in varying cooking times. If you don't mind experimenting, you could try and lop off a few minutes every time you make this until it no longer smells eggy.
april says
what a lovely, silky version of panna cotta. the berries make the composition beautiful – and delicious too, I’m sure. Last time I made panna cotta, it didn’t gel very well. I’ll try this recipe next time for sure.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks April, I hope you enjoy it!
Megan Potter says
Fabulous. Thanks for the tips. Made this last night, refrigerated it overnight and family are raving after dessert tonight. I used light cream instead (to try and be healthier!), and the result was still very tasty. Topped it with fruit and drizzled honey. Agree that using egg white alone does provide significant distinction from the taste of custard.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Megan, I'm so glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed it! Thanks from stopping back by to let me know!
phil hoyt says
Has anyone flavoured the Panna Cotta with a fruit? If so how was this recipe modified?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Phil, I don't recommend adding fruit directly to the custard as it will cause the cream to curdle. The best way to make a fruit Panna Cotta is to skip the caramel in this recipe, just make the custard in the ramekins. You won't be able to unmold them, but you can then pour on your favorite fruit puree onto the tops of the Panna Cotta such as this raspberry coulis: https://norecipes.com/raspberry-coulis/
David Forbes says
I put some lemon zest in mine tasted great.
Marc Matsumoto says
Great idea David! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it.
mazidah says
I just imagine that the taste is something like caramel pudding
Marc Matsumoto says
The taste is quite different as this does not include the yolks (which gives caramel pudding an eggy taste). The use of cream also makes it much richer (closer to a pot de creme than a creme caramel).
mazidah says
Panna Cotta is a bit the same as caramel pudding
Rashmee says
So basically panna cotta is caramel custard?
Marc Matsumoto says
Panna cotta is the custard. Caramel is an optional item. For instance, some panna cotta are topped with a fruit sauce, while others have no topping at all.