Panna Cotta with Agar Agar
This Panna Cotta with Agar Agar is made with coconut milk and flavored with vanilla bean and maple syrup!
Serve your coconut panna cotta with my deliciously tart raspberry coulis for a perfect afternoon snack or elegant dessert!
Key ingredients
My vegan panna cotta is made with just four ingredients:
- Coconut milk:Â You’ll need one 14 oz (400 g) can of full fat coconut milk for this recipe. Make sure not to use anything lighter or you’ll need more agar agar to get the right consistency.
- Agar agar powder: In place of gelatin, this recipe uses agar agar to thicken and stabilize the panna cotta. It’s a vegan product made from red algae that is activated when boiled. I tested this recipe with several different amounts of agar agar powder and found that ½ teaspoon (1 gram) resulted in the perfect consistency: not too firm and with a nice jiggle.
- Vanilla bean: For an easy flavor boost and pretty speckled texture, I like to add the seeds of one vanilla bean to the panna cotta. If you don’t have vanilla beans on hand, you can either leave them out or add a teaspoon of vanilla extract after simmering the mixture.
- Maple syrup: And to sweeten the mixture, I add just two tablespoons of maple syrup. Feel free to add a bit more or less depending on how sweet you’d like your dessert!
Step by step instructions
- Add all panna cotta ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently — don’t let the coconut milk fully boil, as it will separate.
- Pour the mixture into your serving glasses or ramekins to set. Let the panna cotta come to room temperature. Then place it in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving.
Making diagonal layers: To get the diagonal layer of the panna cotta like I made, lean your glasses against something so that they tilt at a slight angle. I put a kitchen towel inside a cake pan and then leaned the glasses against the rim of the pan. The towel helps to keep them secure when moving them to the fridge.
Storage
The panna cotta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. I recommend waiting to remove the panna cotta from the ramekin until you’re ready to serve.
FAQs
I don’t recommend freezing panna cotta, as the texture will change as it thaws.
The panna cotta needs to set for 2-3 hours, but you can leave it in the ramekin until ready to serve.
Briefly dip the bottom of the ramekin in warm water for about 5-10 seconds. This will slightly melt the edges and help the panna cotta release more easily. Then run a thin knife around the edge of the panna cotta to help release it from the ramekin.
Yes, you can make it 1-2 days in advance.
Panna Cotta with Agar Agar Recipe
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4-6
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: no bake
- Cuisine: italian
Ingredients
Panna Cotta
- 1 (14-ounce / 400-gram) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons (40 grams) maple syrup
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) agar agar
Raspberry Coulis (optional)
- 12 ounces (350 grams) raspberries
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Panna Cotta
- Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a knife. Add the seeds, coconut milk, maple syrup and agar agar to a small saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a light simmer over medium heat, stirring often, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Don’t let the mixture come to a full boil – we’re looking for light bubbling. Reduce heat as necessary.
- Remove from heat and pour the mixture into 4-6 individual glasses or ramekins. If you want to serve the panna cotta out of the ramekins, make sure to grease with coconut oil or non-stick spray.
- Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until firm and set (approximately 2-3 hours).
- Once set, serve the panna cotta in the glasses or ramekins or turn out onto individual plates. Top with raspberry coulis.
Raspberry Coulis
- Combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the berries begin to break down (about 3-4 minutes).
- Puree the mixture in a blender until smooth.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard the seeds. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Storage: Panna cotta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and the coulis can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More dessert recipes
This post may contain affiliate links through which we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products that we genuinely love and would use ourselves.