Emelia Jackson’s secret to the perfect wobbly panna cotta

Name: Emelia Jackson’s secret to the perfect wobbly panna cotta
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400ml full-cream milk; 100ml cream; 75g caster sugar; 2 tbsp instant coffee powder; 2.5 sheets gold leaf gelatin OR 5g gelatin powder; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Magic happens when Italy’s favourite pick-me-up, tiramisu, meets the creamy dessert with the lascivious jiggle.

Emelia Jackson

February 6, 2024

Tiramisu panna cotta with sponge fingers.Armelle Habib; Styling: Lee Blaylock

Time:< 30 minsServes:4

The panna cotta wobble. We’ve all heard of it, but what exactly makes for the perfect wobble? A great panna cotta should be just set. As it’s carefully eased from its mould, it should relax onto the plate and offer little resistance to your spoon.

Technique of the month: nailing the panna cotta wobble

The key to a perfectly wobbly panna cotta lies in knowing how to work with gelatin. This recipe is based on the ratio of 1 part gelatin to 100 parts liquid, which works for both powdered gelatin and leaf gelatin. I prefer leaf gelatin as it is flavourless. However, when working with a strongly flavoured ingredient like coffee, I don’t think it makes too much difference.

Ingredients

400ml full-cream milk
100ml cream
75g caster sugar
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
2.5 sheets gold leaf gelatin OR 5g gelatin powder
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Mascarpone whip

150g mascarpone cheese
100ml thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
40g icing sugar

TO SERVE

cocoa powder
sponge fingers

Method

Step 1
In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, caster sugar and instant coffee powder, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Step 2
While the milk is warming, bloom (dissolve) the gelatin. If using sheet gelatin, soak the sheets in iced water for 2-3 minutes or until softened, and squeeze out the excess water. If using powdered gelatin, sprinkle the powder over 2 tablespoons of additional milk and stir. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes or until completely thickened.
Step 3
Remove the milk mixture from the heat, add the vanilla paste and bloomed gelatine, and stir to completely combine. Pour the panna cotta mix into fluted dariole moulds (or divide it evenly among 4 serving glasses) and chill for 3-4 hours (this can be done a day ahead).
Step 4
For the mascarpone whip, combine the ingredients in a bowl and whisk by hand until thick and creamy. Mascarpone’s high fat content means this can easily split if over-whipped, so I like to whisk it by hand.
Step 5
To serve, dollop some whipped mascarpone onto each panna cotta and dust with a little cocoa powder. Serve with sponge fingers.

Tips

I like to work with ratios for a few of my desserts, and panna cotta is one of them. My best tip for nailing that soft wobble every time is to use 1g of gelatin for every 100ml of creamy liquid.

I’ve used 150ml fluted dariole moulds for these, but you could also set the panna cotta directly into a serving glass.
The best way to ensure your panna cotta wobbles its way out of its mould and onto the serving plate is to lightly spray the mould with oil before filling it with the panna cotta mix. If your dessert is extra stubborn, you could also give the mould a brief dip in warm water.

You can mix up the flavours here; serve with some molten chocolate ganache for a mocha twist, add a delightful crunch with hazelnut praline or splash in some of your favourite liquor for a boozy kick.