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    Home » Recipes » No Bake Desserts

    Honey Panna Cotta

    Published: Aug 9, 2021 · Modified: Aug 13, 2022 by Liz Mincin · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    My super simple honey panna cotta recipe is four ingredients and fool proof! Quick, easy and elegant - this panna cotta is the perfect make ahead dessert for any occasion.

    A glass holding honey panna cotta with some honey being drizzled over the top.

    Four Ingredient Honey Panna Cotta

    It may surprise you, but this recipe only has four ingredients. And not one of them is actually honey. How can this be honey panna cotta then? Not an unreasonable question, but the quick answer is simple: Honey Greek Yogurt.

    Ingredients for honey panna cotta.

    Uses for Flavored Greek Yogurt

    I'm a bit late to the party of flavoured greek style yogurts. They've been widely available in the supermarket for years, but I've always defaulted to buying the basic plain variety.

    Recently, however, I was thinking about how simple a flavoured yogurt could be for adding that extra layer to a recipe.

    Behold the result: an intensely honey flavoured panna cotta, without having to actually deal with the mess of trying to measure out honey into the recipe.

    Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta Recipe

    So, much like my vanilla bean panna cotta in my Cherry Panna Cotta recipe, the key ingredient to this lusciously creamy dessert is yogurt. But, this time it is honey Greek style yogurt. Alongside the yogurt, the other ingredients are:

    • Heavy (or double) cream
    • Gelatine powder
    • Sugar

    Easy Panna Cotta Steps

    I know that working with gelatine can be intimidating - worrying whether or not it will set. But, don't let the gelatine here put you off. Panna cotta is an incredibly straightforward recipe, with only four steps.

    1. Allow the gelatine to bloom - this means letting it soak in water for about 10 minutes. This process will also make it easier to dissolve into your warm cream.
    2. Heat half of the cream with the sugar. This enables the sugar to dissolve and will ensure the final product is creamy without sugar lumps.
    3. Once the sugar is dissolved and the cream is simmering, remove from the heat and add the softened gelatine. Stir to dissolve.
    4. Then, slowly pour this into the bowl of yogurt mixture and stir to combine.
    A saucepan filled with cream and sugar.
    A bowl filled with yogurt and cream for panna cotta.
    Pouring heated cream and gelatine mixture from a saucepan into a mixing bowl to whisk with honey greek yogurt and more cream.
    Mixture of panna cotta ready to fill cups.

    Serving Homemade Panna Cotta

    Panna cottas are often seen in restaurants turned out onto dishes with a sauce or other toppings. This shows off the panna cotta's 'wobble', which proves the dessert is properly set.

    I tend to find that this style of presentation has a couple of problems for the home cook:

    • It relies on you having an extra piece of equipment. You would need moulds or ramekins for the panna cottas.
    • Proper preparation of the mould. You need to ensure that you grease these well. Otherwise, you may not be able to remove the panna cottas once they're set.
    • No room for a slightly unset panna cotta. While this shouldn't be a problem if you follow this recipe, everyone has those occasions when they run out of time and try to make a dessert too late. If you're unable to leave enough time for the panna cotta to set, trying to also unmould these for presentation adds a level of unnecessary anxiety.

    So, to avoid all of these issues, I serve my panna cottas in glassware or cups. I find this still gives an elegant display. You can use any type of glassware or a tea cup to make for a simple, yet beautiful presentation.

    Toppings for Honey Greek Style Yogurt Panna Cotta

    My Greek yogurt panna cotta recipe is a simple honey flavoured creamy dessert. Honestly, my husband and I happily ate these plain with no topping. But, sauces or compotes do help to liven up panna cotta, offering extra textures and flavours for the dish.

    Some ideas for topping my honey panna cotta include:

    • A drizzle of plain honey - for those super honey lovers out there!
    • Some chopped nuts for texture - pecans or walnuts would go nicely with the honey.
    • A fruit compote or sauce - blueberries would pair nicely with honey flavours.

    FAQs for Honey Panna Cotta

    How far in advance can I make panna cotta?

    Panna cotta's should ideally be made the day before you plan to consume them. This is because they are best left to set overnight. You could make panna cotta's up to two days ahead without issue.

    Can I freeze panna cotta?

    Yes, it is possible to freeze panna cotta. You should first leave it to fully set in the fridge before attempting to freeze. This will ensure that the gelatine has reacted properly and the dessert will be preserved in the freezer.

    My panna cotta didn't set, what happened?

    So, if the panna cotta hasn't set there are two likely culprits:
    1) not enough gelatine for the liquid
    2) not enough time in the refrigerator

    The ratio of gelatine to liquid is important in order to ensure a dessert sets. For this recipe, if you use too little gelatine powder, you risk this not being adequate for setting the dessert. Similarly, if you use too much liquid (adding extra yogurt or cream), this may cause the gelatine to be insufficient for fully gelling the final product.

    Another common issue is not giving the dessert ample time to set up in the fridge. This is why I recommend making this the night before. If your panna cottas are still runny after an overnight in the fridge, unfortunately the gelatine has not worked properly.

    If you like this recipe, you might also like:

    • Cherry Panna Cotta
    • No Churn Cake Ice Cream
    • No Bake S'mores Cheesecake
    A glass holding honey panna cotta with some honey being drizzled over the top.

    Honey Panna Cotta

    Liz Mincin
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cooling 4 hrs
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 4 people

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup honey Greek style yogurt
    • 1½ cup heavy (double) cream
    • 1 teaspoon gelatine powder
    • 1½ tablespoon water
    • ⅓ cup caster sugar
    • Optional: honey or other toppings to decorate

    Instructions
     

    • Add 1½ tablespoons of water to a small bowl and sprinkle the powdered gelatine over this. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to bloom.
    • In a saucepan, whisk together ¾ cup of heavy cream and ⅓ cup sugar. Heat this over a medium temperature until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is simmering.
    • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ¾ cup heavy cream with the yogurt.
    • Once the mixture in your saucepan has begun to simmer, remove from the heat and add the softened gelatine, stirring until the gelatine has fully dissolved.
    • Slowly pour the warm mixture into the yogurt mixture, whisking as you go to fully incorporate. Avoid whisking too vigorously as you are not looking to incorporate air into the liquid.
    • Decant your panna cotta liquid into serving containers - either glassware or tea cups. The mixture should be sufficient for four servings, but this may vary depending on your glasses.
    • Cover and place in the refrigerator until set - at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @waitingforblancmange or tag #waitingforblancmange!

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    Image of Liz Mincin blogger and recipe developer behind Waiting for Blancmange.

    Hi, I'm Liz! I'm an American expat in the UK, with over 20 years experience baking and creating desserts. Taught tricks and tips by my mother and grandmothers, I'm sharing recipes and baking tips from my Italian American and Southern roots, along with a few British staples picked up from my time living across various regions in the UK.

    More about me →

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