Baked Espresso Panna Cotta with Dark Chocolate Shavings
Silky baked panna cotta infused with rich espresso and topped with bittersweet dark chocolate for a sophisticated dessert. This Italian-inspired recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, layers whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 290 calories and feeds 6, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) unflavored gelatin powder
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate bar, shaved
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Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 1/4 tsp unflavored gelatin over 3 tbsp cold water; let stand 5 minutes to bloom.
- Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 2 tsp instant espresso powder. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar and espresso dissolve and mixture is hot but not boiling, about 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Step 4: Pour mixture evenly into six 4-oz ramekins. Place ramekins in a deep baking dish and carefully pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Step 5: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until the panna cotta is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Remove ramekins from water bath and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Step 6: Before serving, sprinkle each panna cotta with 2 tbsp shaved dark chocolate for a bittersweet finish.








