Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed and recipe is are 100% my own.

In my travels, I remember when I had panna cotta for the first time, in Italy.  It was a day off from touring with my band and I was wandering around the city of Milan.  I was purposely trying to get lost in order to “accidentally” find a treasure of a restaurant to blow me away.  After walking for about an hour or so, I happened to wander into this beautifully colored tiled bakery (Panetteria).  The people that worked in there were loud, happy and celebratory.  Celebrating life I suppose.  I asked them what they recommended to a slightly hungry girl from the United States that wanted to experience a bit of the essence of their culture.  They all immediately argued as to what I should eat.  Back and forth they playfully screamed at each other but in the end, the lady that seemed to be the matriarch of the bunch said I should give the panna cotta a try.  It’s a custard and is very common at most Italian restaurants.

Since that visit, I’ve made panna cotta for my family quite often.  There never has to be an occasion for it.  I don’t necessarily have to make an Italian meal in order to have it for dessert and it doesn’t always have to be a dessert.  I like to make it on a whim and whenever I’m invited to a pot luck.  At these pot lucks, it always seems to be the hit of the party and I’m asked by many for the recipe.

Here is my simple recipe for Panna Cotta….. I will also be making it for Three Kings Day since I have a few Italian friends visiting, and they won’t be around to make us dinner on Feb. 2nd if they get the toy baby. Rosca and panna cotta sound like a lovely combo anyway!  Like I said, it works for almost any occasion and people will love you for making such a yummy decadent treat.  Let me know how it goes! Click here to save some dough and get a great coupon. Or if you are in search of more milk recipes….click here!

Oh yeah, and how was the Panna Cotta in Italy you ask?

Delizioso!!!!!

Ingredients for panna cotta:

• 5 – tablespoons hot boiling water
• 2 – packets knox gelatin
• 1 – cup milk
• 3/4 – cup sugar
• 2 – vanilla beans (cut length wise)
• 1 -pint whipping cream
• 1 – cup 1/2 and 1/2

Directions:

1. Pour boiling hot water in a bowl, and sprinkle with knox gelatin. Mix to dissolve gelatin. Set to the side. 
2. In a small sauce pan over a medium flame add milk, sugar, and seeds from inside vanilla beans. Stir until sugar is dissolved. 
3. Add in whipping cream and 1/2 and 1/2 to sugar/milk mixture.
4. Let it combine for about 3 minutes, then remove from flame.
5. Pour the knox water mixture into milk mixture. Mix it to combine. 
6. Then pour the mixture through a sieve  to collect any bits of knox or pieces of vanilla bark. 
7. Pour the liquid into cups and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. 
8. Top with fresh berries and cookies of your choice. I used strawberries and brownie cookies.
9. Enjoy! 

I dream of sweets all the time but in the warmest season of the year, they seem like such a task to make.  I picture the sweaty kitchen and think twice about dessert creating.  Until recently that was the case…

A little while back I had a hands on lesson with Danielle Keene ( you may remember her from Top Desserts) and Chef Michelle Quiles (gelatin queen extraordinaire).  I learned a few sweet Milk based recipes to keep cool with in the dead of heat… Creamy Summer Desserts.

Pictured below: The desserts we ate and made. 🙂

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for Lavender Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta:    (Pictured at top)

1 – vanilla bean, split

2 1/4 – teaspoons dried lavender

1/2 – cup sugar

1- cup milk

3 – cups heavy cream

1/2 – cup creme fraiche

1 – tablespoon powdered gelatin

In a saucepan over medium heat bring vanilla bean, lavender, sugar, 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to a simmer.  Cover, remove from heat and set aside to steep for 30 minutes.  In a separate bowl, mix gelatin powder in remaining 1/2 cup milk to hydrate.  Reheat vanilla mixture and pour over gelatin mixture.  Whisk until combined and gelatin is dissolved.  Whisk in creme fraiche and strain.  Cool to room temperature.  With a electric mixer whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream to soft peaks.  Gently fold in vanilla bean mixture in two parts.  Pour into small greased ramekins and chill for 6 hours or overnight.  Unmold and serve with blueberry caramel and fresh fruit.

Ingredients for Berry Caramel Sauce:

1 -cup sugar 

1/4 – cup water

1 3/4 – cup fresh berries pureed

1 – tablespoon butter

In a saucepan over high heat, combine sugar and water.  Boil until mixture is an amber color.  Add berry puree and butter.  Whisk until dissolved.  Strain and serve over panna cotta.