Easy and indulgent coffee panna cotta recipe with dulce de leche sauce

A coffee panna cotta recipe is just your kind of thing if you're a fan of creamy, luscious desserts (isn't everybody?!). Panna cotta is a flan-like Italian dessert [1] made with gelatin instead of eggs. This version is perfect for coffee lovers, and people on an egg-free diet.

Why I ❤️ it • Recipe • Ingredients • Preparation

Why I ❤️ it

This panna cotta with a lovely coffee flavor is an easy-to-make dessert that can be made without much effort. While it looks quite bougie, it's actually inexpensive and made with easy-to-find ingredients. But your guests don't need to know that.

Extra bonus: It's served with a dulce de leche sauce 🤯 and they are both surprisingly easy and uncomplicated to make.

Utensils and tools

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• 4 ramekins 6 oz, or small jello molds
• Mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Fine mesh strainer
• Medium saucepan
• Stove
• Plastic wrap
• Fridge

Ingredients

• Oil spray for greasing the molds, pick one with a neutral taste.
• 1 cup (236 milliliters) of whole milk, you can use also use 2%, both work almost identically.
• ½ cup (118 milliliters) of condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon of dark vanilla extract, if you're feeling extra fancy, use the seeds from half a vanilla pod
• 1¾ tablespoon of instant coffee If you don't have instant coffee, you can use 3 tablespoons of strongly-brewed espresso coffee at room temperature. I suggest instant coffee decaf if you'll serve to kids.
• 2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin powder
• ¼ cup (70 milliliters) of canned dulce de leche, or make it with our instant pot dulce de leche recipe
• 4 tablespoons of ice-cold water
• Some warm water to remove from the mold at the end

Preparation

Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

Step 1

Lightly spray four jello molds or small ramekins with a fine mist of the oil spray. I suggest you do this in the sink, so all the stray oil mist doesn't end up on your counter.

Set the molds aside on the counter while you proceed with the following steps. 

Step 2

In a medium bowl, combine the whole milk, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and instant coffee. Gently stir with a spatula to combine well (stirring vigorously will produce bubbles which we're trying to avoid).

In a fine mist, add the unflavored gelatin, stirring to prevent it from clumping. Once combined, cover the bowl with a clean towel, and let the mixture rest for five minutes on the counter.

Once it has rested, sieve to make sure everything has dissolved and there are no solids.

Step 3

Once sieved, pour the mixture in a medium saucepan, and heat over low heat, stirring constantly but gently (so you don't make bubbles) until the mixture is heated (steam starts to come out), but before it breaks the boil (before it starts bubbling). 

Remove from the heat and immediately pour into the ramekins or molds. 

Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap (to prevent them from forming a crust) and let them cool for 15 minutes, on the counter. 

Step 4

Once cooled, take the ramekins to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours, or even overnight.

Step 5

An hour before serving, make the sauce. To make the sauce, mix dulce de leche and ice-cold water to obtain a pourable mix. Cover the sauce, and chill in the fridge.

Step 6

To unmold the panna cotta, slide a sharp knife all around the edge of the pudding to release the edge. Pour some warm water into a bowl, then dip the ramekins into the water bath for 5 seconds (make sure no water gets into them). This will help loosen it a bit more.

Remove the ramekins from the water and pat dry on the outside to prevent water from dripping into the serving dish.

Cover the ramekin with a dessert plate and turn it upside down. If it doesn't fall immediately shake gently to release it.

Serving suggestions

Serve the panna cotta with the dulce de leche sauce on the side. If you feel like it, a dollop of whipped cream makes it a bit extra fancy.

FAQs

Sources and inspiration

1. Taste Atlas

Print card

This is just a printer-friendly summary, some useful details are found in the recipe above.

Originally published on May 22, 2015