Creamy, perfectly set white chocolate Panna Cotta is a delicious and easy dessert served with macerated berries.
What is Panna Cotta?
Panna Cotta (literally translated it means “cooked cream”) of cream set with gelatin. The cream is still soft and not firm like other gelatin-set desserts and is easily flavored with ingredients like coffee, chocolate or fruit.
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Ingredients
Full recipe + amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cream. Heavy / Whipping cream.
- Milk. Full cream / Whole milk.
- Gelatin. I used leaf gelatin.
- Sugar.
- Vanilla. I used vanilla paste but you could use a scraped bean or extract too.
- White chocolate.
- Berries. I used a combination of raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. Passion fruit and pineapple are also delicious with panna cotta.
- Lemon juice.
How to make white chocolate Panna Cotta
- Make the panna cotta: In a small saucepan, heat the cream, milk, sugar and white chocolate together. Take care not to allow the mixture to boil. While the cream is heating, place the gelatin sheets in a bowl and cover with cold water. Once the cream is hot, remove from the heat. Once the gelatin has softened, squeeze out any excess water then add to the hot cream. Whisk in until smooth.
- Allow to set: Carefully pour the cream mixture into serving glasses or ramekins. I like using glasses because the contrast of the set cream and the berries is beautiful but use any small bowls you have. Press plastic onto the surface of the panna cotta to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge and allow to set for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
- Macerate the berries: Place the berries in a bowl and add the sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Mix again, mashing the now-softened berries with the back of the spoon.
- Serve: When you’re ready to serve, remove the panna cotta from the fridge and spoon over the berries. Add a sprig of rosemary (optional) and serve.
Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely! This is a great make-ahead dessert. The panna cottas can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days ahead of serving. The macerated berries can be made the day in advance and kept in the fridge until serving.
Easy dessert recipes

Creamy White Chocolate Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 400 ml (2/3 cup) cream
- 300 ml (1¼cup) milk
- 50 g (¼cup) sugar
- 150 g (5oz) white chocolate
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (you could also use a split vanilla bean or vanilla paste)
- 3 sheets gelatin
For the macerated berries
- 3 cups berries of your choice
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the cream, milk, sugar and white chocolate together. Take care not to allow the mixture to boil.
- While the cream is heating, place the gelatin sheets in a bowl and cover with cold water.
- Once the cream is hot, remove from the heat. Once the gelatin has softened, squeeze out any excess water then add to the hot cream. Whisk in until smooth.
- Carefully pour the panna cotta mixture into serving glasses or ramekins.
- Press plastic onto the surface of the panna cotta to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge and allow to set for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
- Place the berries in a bowl and add the sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
- Mix again, mashing the now-softened berries with the back of the spoon.
- When you're ready to serve, remove the panna cotta from the fridge and spoon over the berries. Add a sprig of rosemary (optional) and serve.
Hi Alida. If powdered gelatin can be used, how much would you use?
I haven’t tested it with powdered, once I do I’ll update the recipe. According to Google it should be around 6 teaspoons of gelatin.