White chocolate, cream and condensed milk with a cranberry topping is all the dessert you need for the holidays!
This White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Gelee is one of the best! Adding white chocolate to an ultra creamy panna cotta and topping it with cranberry was so incredibly delicious!
What is panna cotta?
Panna cotta means cooked cream in Italian. It’s an Italian dessert made of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin. The cream is sometimes flavored with different flavorings like vanilla, chocolate, fruits, or in this recipe, white chocolate.
What is gelee?
Gelee is French for a jelly-like food. Gelee refers most commonly to a fruit puree stabilized with gelatin. It’s usually loosely stable, and not as firm as American jell-o.
How is the gelee used with the panna cotta?
For this recipe, the gelee is poured and set on top of the panna cotta. It adds a fruit flavor to the panna cotta.
What main Ingredients are needed for the White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Gelee:
Gelatin- powdered gelatin is used to stabilize and slightly firm the panna cotta. It is also used to stabilize the gelee. You can also use gelatin sheets soaked in water in panna cotta.
Cream- Heavy whipping cream makes the panna cotta extra creamy, rich, and delicious.
White chocolate– the white chocolate gives the dessert a slight cocoa butter taste.
Condensed milk– Eagle Brand Milk condensed milk makes the panna cotta extra smooth. Granulated sugar is usually used in the recipe, but is not needed because of the condensed milk.
Cranberry- Cranberry juice is used to make the gelee. This give the topping a clear-like look. Fresh cranberries cooked down would work for the gelee as well.
How is the White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Gelee made?
To make the panna cotta, start with mixing the powdered gelatin with milk and cream. This will help to dissolve the gelatin. Place them in a saucepan, and let the mixture stand for 2 minutes, then let it cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Add the white chocolate chips while it’s hot so that they can melt. Then add in the remaining panna cotta ingredients. The mixture should be very smooth and creamy.
Divide the panna cotta mixture between six or eight 4-6 oz clear dessert or cocktail glasses. You can use as many as you like, but don’t fill the glasses to the top. You want to leave room for the gelee. If you want more that 6-8 glasses, fill them only halfway or less, so they’re not completely full. How much or little mixture in each glass is completely up to you. I like to use a mixture of different sized and shaped glasses.
Transfer the panna cotta glasses to the refrigerator to begin to set, about 1-2 hours.
How is the gelee made?
To make the gelee, add 4 teaspoons of cold water into a small bowl. Sprinkle 2 teaspoon of gelatin over the water and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes. The gelatin needs to bloom before the gelee is made.
In a small saucepan, heat the cranberry juice and sugar. Once it comes to a simmer add the bloomed gelatin and whisk until it has fully dissolved. Let it cool some, then pour and divide the gelee between the glasses. The gelee is like hot liquid jello and you don’t want it to be too hot when adding it on top of the panna cotta.
Refrigerate the panna cottas for about 4 hours or overnight. I prefer overnight to make sure they are fully set.
How are the sugared cranberries made?
Sugar cranberries are such a beautiful addition to holiday desserts and are easy to make!
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. This will make the syrup that the sugar sticks to.
Add the cranberries to the syrup and stir to coat all cranberries. You want to make sure that each cranberry is covered with the syrup.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to a parchment lined baking pan.
Let cranberries dry for 30 minutes, then pour the remaining sugar on the cranberries and roll them around until they are completely coated.
Garnish the panna cottas with the sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary before serving. This will give them a festive holiday look!
Commonly Asked Questions:
Can you make this White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Gelee dairy-free?
Yes, you can make these dairy free. You can replace the heavy whipping cream with coconut milk, almond milk or any type of nut milk.
What’s the difference between panna cotta and crème brûlée?
Panna cotta is a sweeten cream that uses gelatin to stabilize it and sets in the refrigerator as opposed to baking. Crème brûlée is an egg custard that is baked in the oven and topped with sugar that get crystallized with a hand torch.
Can you use fresh cranberries instead of cranberry juice?
Yes, you can. Cook about 1 1/2 cups of cranberries with 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 cup water until the cranberries fully burst. Add the bloomed gelatin, then cool and add on top of the panna cottas before setting in the refrigerator.
How long can you store the White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Gelee?
The Panna cotta can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 10 days. And it can be made in advance of serving it.
Looking for other holiday desserts? Here are a few ideas:
Red Velvet Swirled Christmas Fudge
Peppermint Sugar Cookie Truffles
Triple Chocolate Espresso Christmas Brownies
Gingerbread Brioche Doughnuts with Egg Nog Pastry Cream
Apple Cranberry “A Christmas Carol” Themed Pie
White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Gelee
Ingredients
White Chocolate Panna Cotta
- 1 envelope .25 oz. unflavored powdered gelatin
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cranberry Gelee
- 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
- 4 tsp cold water
- 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
Garnish
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup fresh cranberries, washed
- Fresh Rosemary
Instructions
Panna Cotta
- In a saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Let the mixture stand for 2 minutes. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook stirring constantly until gelatin is melted.Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the white chocolate chips. Stir until the white chocolate melted. Whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream, condensed milk and vanilla.Pour and divide the panna cotta mixture into six or eight 4-6 oz clear dessert or cocktail glasses until the liquid nearly reaches to top of the glass. Transfer to the refrigerator to begin to set, about 1-2 hours.
Cranberry Gelee
- Add 4 teaspoons of water into a small bowl. Sprinkle 2 teaspoon of gelatin over the water and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes.In a small saucepan, heat the cranberry juice and sugar. Once it comes to a simmer add the bloomed gelatin and whisk until it has fully dissolved. Remove from heat. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, cool then pour and divide the gelee between the glasses. Refrigerate the panna cottas for about 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary before serving.
Garnish
- Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Stir in cranberries until they are fully coated. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to a parchment lined baking pan. Let cranberries dry for 30 minutes, then pour the remaining sugar on the cranberries and roll them around until they are completely coated. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
