Yes, I’m mixing up the cultures again, and the only thing pertinent to St. Pat’s here is the color green. This time, I’m mixing Japanese matcha in an Italian dessert. Panna cotta is easy to make and has the potential to express your creative side. It’s essentially an Italian pudding that lends itself to pretty much any flavor you can think of.
You’re working with a simple gelatin and cream base that begs to be played with, so I’m using one of my favorite flavor combos: matcha and chocolate. Although they are both slightly bitter, they work beautifully together.
This recipe works by making two small batches of panna cotta to layer one on top of the other. It’s as simple as that. You can also choose to make just one flavor or the other or layer them up further, if you like. I’m using a few small molds I’ve picked up over the years, but you can simply pour it into little glasses or cups, which works out just as well.
Because I’m using molds to layer them and it’s St. Patrick’s Day, I worked with the green matcha first for the top portion—I want that green to stand out.
Choco-Matcha Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 1 packet gelatin powder, divided (about 1-½ tsp each)
- 2 Tbsp water, divided
- 1 Tbsp matcha powder
- 1 Tbsp dutch cocoa powder
- ½ cup whole milk, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream, divided
- 2 Tbsp cane sugar, divided
For the Matcha Layer
Add the first half packet of gelatin to a bowl with the tablespoon of water, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
Add the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat, heating it slowly (don’t let the mixture boil), then whisk in the bloomed gelatin. Continue to whisk for about 5 minutes or until any chunks of gelatin are gone. Next, whisk in the match powder and continue whisking until the matcha has dissolved.
Remove from heat and add the tablespoon of sugar, stirring until dissolved. Strain the mixture through a sieve into molds or small cups or glasses. Allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least two hours.
For the Chocolate Layer
Repeat as above: Bloom the gelatin.
Heat milk and cream, whisking in the gelatin.
Whisk in the cocoa powder until dissolved.
Remove from heat and stir in sugar; then strain. Pour it on top of the first layer as indicated above or into cups or glasses.
Refrigerate for at least two hours for best results.
If you use molds, you may need to run the bottoms under hot running water to loosen the panna cotta before inverting.
This makes about 1-⅔ cup total of panna cotta or about 5 servings.
These can be garnished with whipped cream, a light sprinkling of matcha powder, or edible flowers. I couldn’t resist using the clover growing in my garden for the occasion!
