Name: Lemon Panna Cotta
Total time: 4 h 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk; 2 3/4 teaspoons gelatin; 3 cups heavy cream; 2 inch piece vanilla bean , slit lengthwise with paring knife (or substitute 2 teaspoons extract); 4 pieces lemon zest (about 2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide), cut into julienne strips; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from 2 medium lemons; 6 tablespoons granulated sugar; Pinch table salt

Why This Recipe Works

Our mission in developing a panna cotta recipe was to find the correct proportions for the simple ingredients and the most effective way to deal with the gelatin that thickens the dessert. Because cream gave the panna cotta a rich mouthfeel and a creamier, more rounded flavor, we concurred with those panna cotta recipes that favored a heavier proportion of cream to milk. The amount of sugar called for was straightforward—enough to sweeten our concoction without making it too sweet. For a flavor accent, we added vanilla and found that a vanilla bean contributed a richer flavor than did vanilla extract.

Before You Begin

Serve the panna cotta very cold, with strawberry or raspberry sauce or lightly sweetened berries. Though traditionally unmolded, panna cotta can be chilled and served in wine glasses and sauced on top. If you would like to make the panna cotta a day ahead, decrease the gelatin to 2 5/8 teaspoons (2 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon) and chill the filled wine glasses for 18 to 24 hours.

Instructions

Pour milk into medium saucepan; sprinkle surface evenly with gelatin and let stand 10 minutes to hydrate gelatin. Meanwhile, turn contents of two ice cube trays (about 32 cubes) into large bowl; add 4 cups cold water. Measure cream into large measuring cup or pitcher. With paring knife, scrape vanilla seeds into cream. Place pod in cream along with seeds, add julienne lemon peel, and set mixture aside. Set eight wine glasses or 4-ounce ramekins on baking sheet.

Heat milk and gelatin mixture over high heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved and mixture registers 135 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, add sugar and salt; stir until dissolved, about 1 minute.

Stirring constantly, slowly pour cream mixture into saucepan containing milk, then transfer mixture to medium bowl and set bowl over ice water bath. Stir frequently until thickened to consistency of eggnog and mixture registers 50 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Strain mixture into large measuring cup or pitcher, stir in lemon juice, then distribute evenly among wine glasses or ramekins. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap, making sure that plastic does not mar surface of cream; refrigerate until just set (mixture should wobble when shaken gently), 4 hours.

Serve panna cotta in wine glasses, or, following illustrations 1 through 4, unmold panna cotta from ramekins and serve immediately.