Antonino Cannavacciuolo reveals his tricks for elevating panna cotta to an extraordinary dessert while maintaining the simplicity of the great classics.

Cover photo: @Stefano Fusaro

Ingredients

SERVINGS FOR 4 PEOPLE

525 ml fresh cream
100 g sugar
10 g isinglass
1 vanilla bean

Procedure

Soak the isinglass in a container with cold water and a few ice cubes.

In a saucepan, mix and bring to a boil the cream with the sugar and vanilla bean (both the pod and the seeds, extracted by cutting the pod lengthwise and scraping it with the tip of a knife). Then remove from heat and let cool.

Remove the vanilla pod and add the previously squeezed isinglass. Stir and pour into suitable single-portion molds. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

When preparing this recipe, it is important to pay close attention to temperature. Isinglass loses its effectiveness above 85° C. Consequently, when adding it to the mixture, you must stir it immediately to prevent it from sticking to the still too hot bottom of the saucepan.

You can prepare this recipe in advance: the panna cotta, once placed in the molds, can be frozen. It should then be thawed in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before use.