Honey Lavender Panna Cotta (Printable)

Creamy Italian dessert with floral lavender and sweet honey, chilled to perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Sweeteners & Flavorings

03 - 1/3 cup honey
04 - 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Setting Agent

06 - 2.5 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
07 - 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Garnish

08 - Fresh edible flowers
09 - Extra honey for drizzling
10 - Fresh berries

# How-To:

01 - In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and allow to bloom for 5 minutes until fully absorbed.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, honey, and dried lavender. Heat gently over medium-low heat until just steaming, stirring occasionally. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
03 - Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lavender solids. Return the strained liquid to the saucepan.
04 - Stir the bloomed gelatin into the warm cream mixture until fully dissolved. Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
05 - Divide the mixture evenly among 4 ramekins or dessert glasses. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until fully set.
06 - To unmold, run a knife tip around the edge and invert onto plates, or serve directly in glasses. Garnish with honey drizzle, edible flowers, or fresh berries as desired.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but only demands 15 minutes of actual work, then your refrigerator does the rest.
  • The lavender flavor is sophisticated enough to impress but melts into honey sweetness so it never tastes weird or soapy.
  • Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian (with one easy swap), so it works for almost anyone at your table.
02 -
  • Don't skip the steeping step thinking it won't matter—that 10 minutes of infusion is the entire reason this doesn't taste like lavender-scented cream, it tastes like lavender belonging there.
  • If your panna cotta jiggles too much when it comes out of the fridge, your gelatin didn't fully dissolve—next time, make sure you wait until the cream is truly warm when you add it, not lukewarm.
03 -
  • Don't forget to bloom your gelatin in cold water first—this is the step that prevents lumpy, grainy panna cotta that would break your heart.
  • Make sure your cream and milk are truly at a gentle steam, not a boil, because high heat can prevent the gelatin from setting properly later.
  • If you're unmolding, dip the ramekin in warm water for about 10 seconds and the panna cotta will slide out like butter; if you're serving in the glass, you've saved yourself the anxiety and still have something beautiful.
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