Paan Panna Cotta

5 from 1 vote

Come, let’s celebrate the arrival of spring with a pop of colors and Paan Panna Cotta recipe. This creamy and indulgent dessert is so easy to make and highly addictive!

Prep: 15

Cook: 10

Set Time4

Total: 4 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 425kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

1½ cups Heavy whipping cream
1 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Agar-Agar powder
⅓ cup Sugar
- - A pinch of Salt
½ teaspoon Rosewater

BETEL LEAF MIX - YIELDS 2 TABLESPOONS

1 - Betel Leaf also known as paan leaf
½ teaspoon Fennel seeds
1 tablespoon Gulkand (Rose Petal Jam)
1 tablespoon Thandai Powder
2 tablespoons Water to grind the ingredients

GARNISH

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pour 3/4 cup milk in a bowl. Add agar-Agar powder to the milk. Mix to combine. Let it rest for 7-8 minutes.
Assemble: the paan ingredients – paan leaves, fennel seeds, Gulkand (rose petal jam), and Thandai powder.
Transfer the paan ingredients to a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth.
TIP - Do not add more water.
Strain the paan mix through a fine strainer. Set aside.
Meanwhile, add cream and the remaining 1/4 cup milk to a pan. Allow it to simmer.
Add sugar. Whisk constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved and mixed in properly.
Stir in agar-agar mixture. Continue stirring for about 2-3 minutes until agar-agar is fully dissolved.
Pour in the paan mixture.
Continue stirring until the cream is steaming (do not boil).
Remove from heat and let it cool 5 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine strainer.
Lightly grease your ramekins or molds. Pour the mixture into 4 ramekins or bowls. Allow the panna cotta to sit at room temperature for 3-4 minutes before refrigerating. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Refrigerate and allow it to set for at least 5 hours.
TIP- To unmold the paan panna cotta, place the cups (in which panna cotta is set) in lukewarm water for 2-3 minutes.
Carefully loosen the sides of the mold with a knife. Be careful not to cut through the Panna cotta. Invert the mold over a plate. Gently pat on top of the mold and jiggle it, paan panna cotta will slip out easily.
Garnish with thandai powder, saffron strands, and cherry.
Spoon rose syrup all around the panna cotta and serve.

Notes

Working with Agar-agar

» For a perfect panna cotta, agar-agar needs to ‘bloom’ or re-hydrate in the liquid first.

» To activate agar-agar, simmer it for 4-5 minutes only. Simmering it for long will turn the pannacotta rubbery in texture.

» The best part about agar-agar is that it starts to sets very quickly, even at room temperature.

» Depending on your area, agar-agar may be sold in flakes. In that case, 1 teaspoon of agar-agar powder equals 1 tablespoon of agar-agar flakes or 1/3 cup agar strands.

» Whatever mold or ramekins you are using to set panna cotta, always grease it first, if using agar-agar. Agar-agar will not slide out easily the way gelatin does.

FAQ's to make the best panna Cotta

» Can you omit agar-agar from the recipe? Unfortunately, you cannot. Without agar-agar, panna cotta won’t set.

» Can you freeze paan Panna Cotta? Yes, you can! Panna Cotta stores well in the freezer for up to 2 months. Leave it overnight in the fridge to thaw thoroughly before serving.

» Other ways to dress up your paan panna cotta! You can top panna cotta with

Homemade strawberry sauce
Chocolate syrup
Cherry compote
Rose Petal compote

» Is there a lighter version of Paan panna cotta? There sure is! If you wish to make a lighter panna cotta, you can replace milk with cream. Meaning you can use 1 cup of cream and 1.5 cups of milk.

Nutrition