This Lavender & Blueberry Panna Cotta is a fresh and healthy take on the classic Italian dessert recipe that is just as easy, but better than the original. Layered with a fresh blueberry sauce, this eggless panna cotta is silky smooth and creamy, flavoured with vanilla, blueberry and lavender. It is also adaptable to be vegan and dairy free!
I used to think panna cotta was a difficult dessert, but I was wrong! While this recipe is not quite like the original, it is super easy to make, and the flavours are worthy of a fine dining restaurant. Perfect for a crowd or a small gathering, if you’re looking for a gourmet dessert to impress (but also healthy), then this is the recipe for you!
This fancy, homemade Lavender & Blueberry Panna Cotta has a creamy and velvety smooth texture, with a beautiful light purple colour, layered with a fresh and glossy blueberry sauce. Each bite of this dessert gives a light fruity tang and sweetness from the blueberries, combined with subtle floral notes from the lavender and a hint of vanilla.
Why this is the BEST Blueberry Panna Cotta recipe
- Has a fancy and delicate floral flavour and a stunning purple colour.
- Uses less than 10 ingredients!
- It’s easy to make, as this recipe doesn’t use any difficult dessert techniques.
- Is budget friendly – I made this recipe for AUD$6.8 (~USD$4.56).
- Is a more healthy alternative to traditional panna cotta.
What is Panna Cotta?
Panna cotta is a classic Italian dessert. It translates to “cooked cream” in Italian, which is a good description of its main ingredient. Unlike crème brulee or puddings, traditional panna cotta doesn’t use eggs, nor does it need to be baked in an oven.
The dessert is made by simmering thickened or heavy cream, sugar and vanilla (with other flavours such as coffee, chocolate, citrus, etc), then mixing it with gelatine to help it set. After being poured into moulds, it’s chilled in the fridge until it becomes firm and smooth, with a creamy custard-like texture.
What makes this Blueberry Panna Cotta healthy?
Traditional panna cotta uses ingredients such as heavy cream and sugar. This means panna cotta can be quite high in excess fat and sugar, which are not beneficial to our health when eaten in excess. Instead, this panna cotta is a healthy alternative because it:
- Uses skim milk instead of heavy cream, which is much lower in fat.
- Is low sugar, as it uses just a touch of maple syrup for sweetness.
- Contains chia seeds, which are loaded with healthy fats and dietary fibre, while keeping a light and creamy texture.
- Uses real blueberries, so you get a fruity flavour without artificial flavours or other food additives.
- Is equal to half a serve of fruit and almost half a serve of dairy.
Benefits of blueberries
Blueberries have become a very popular fruit over the last few years due to their sweet flavour and nutritional benefits, including:
- Are a good source of vitamin K (particularly vitamin K1), which is used to make proteins involved with blood clotting and maintaing strong bones.
- Have a good amount of manganese, which is used in enzyme reactions to make energy, assists with bone metabolism and a healthy functioning immune system.
- Contains folate, which plays an important role in creating new DNA and forming new body cells.
- Research suggests that certain antioxidants found in blueberries, such as anthocyanins, may help regulate blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Recipe suitability
This Blueberry Panna Cotta has a moderate amount of dietary fibre, with 6.6g per serve. That is very decent for a dessert and makes this recipe a good option for supporting your gut health. It also has moderate protein, with 8g per serve. Unlike other desserts, this Blueberry Panna Cotta is low in fat (including saturated fat), cholesterol and sodium, making this a heart friendly recipe. It is also gluten free, and with some simple swaps, can easily be made vegetarian and vegan.
Ingredients for Panna Cotta
- Milk – Preferably low fat. Forms the base of the blueberry panna cotta and is much lower in fat than cream. Milk has a good amount of calcium, which is important for the keeping strong teeth and bones, and plays a role in blood pressure regulation, blood clotting and muscle contractions.
- Vanilla extract – Is more natural and contains more flavour than vanilla essence.
- Maple syrup – Gives a touch of sweetness.
- Culinary lavender – Adds a beautiful floral scent and flavour to the panna cotta. Make sure you purchase culinary lavender (not regular lavender!), as it has less oils than regular lavender and is edible. I got my culinary lavender from Amazon.
- Chia seeds – I used white chia seeds to help maintain a lighter purple colour. Chia seeds are a wonderful source of dietary fibre, which supports regular bowel movements, colon health, and the diversity of our gut bacteria. Dietary fibre may also help reduce inflammation, insulin resistance and risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Blueberries – I used frozen blueberries, as they are cheaper and just as nutritious as fresh. Scroll up to read about the benefits of blueberries.
- Gelatine – Some people have a negative opinion about gelatine. Still, it is made from collagen, which is trending for its health and beauty benefits. Like collagen, gelatine is also ~85% protein, which helps us grow and maintain our muscles as we age and supports immune system function to help us fight off infections.
- Water – The liquid component of the blueberry sauce, I used just regular cold water from the tap.
- Corn flour / starch– To thicken the blueberry sauce without needing to add more sugar.
How to make Panna Cotta
MAKING THE BLUEBERRY PANNA COTTA
- Add 140ml of milk and 1 cup of blueberries into a small saucepan. Heat the saucepan over medium heat with the lid on and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the blueberries have burst and are wrinkled. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool with the lid on. Note: This step is key to keeping that gorgeous purple colour later; without it, the blueberry panna cotta’s will turn grey/brown. If the milk evaporates too much, just add a splash more.
- Pour the remaining 300ml/10.1 fl oz of the milk into a bowl or jug. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir well to mix. The maple syrup will sink to the bottom of the milk, so make sure you mix it well!
- Heat the milk in the microwave on high for 2 minutes or until hot. Place a fine sieve over the bowl so that the grates are sitting in the milk. Add the lavender to the sieve, stir with a spoon and leave to steep for 15-20 minutes. Lift the sieve out of the milk and press down on the lavender using the back of a spoon to extract the soaked milk. Discard the lavender.
- Add the chia seeds to the lavender milk and stir to mix. Let the chia seeds sit for 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water to a bowl. Sprinkle in the powdered gelatine, stir to mix and then let stand for 1 minute. Then, heat the gelatine in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until dissolved. Note: Keep an eye on and be careful if using a small bowl, as the gelatine can bubble over the edges and cause a hot, sticky mess!
- Pour the chia seed mixture into a high-powered blender (I used a bullet blender) and blitz for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. Note: You can use a food processor to blitz the blueberry panna cotta mixture, however it will not break down all of the chia seeds.
- Add the prepared gelatine and cooked blueberry milk to the blender and blitz the mixture for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
- Divide the blueberry panna cotta mix between 4 moulds (either bowls or cups/glasses), cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
MAKING THE BLUEBERRY SAUCE
- Add 1 cup of blueberries to a medium saucepan. Combine the cornflour with 1/3 cup of water and pour into the saucepan with the blueberries. Stir to mix.
- Simmer the blueberry sauce mixture for 10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally, or until the liquid has reduced and the blueberry sauce has become glossy and thick like syrup. Remove the saucepan from the heat, set aside to let the blueberry sauce cool.
- When your panna cottas are firm, add enough cooled blueberry sauce to cover the tops. Serve the layered blueberry panna cottas!
How to serve Panna Cotta
If you use ramekins for moulds, dip the ramekins into a small bowl of hot water for 10-15 seconds and quickly wipe the bottom of the ramekin. Run a knife around the edge of the ramekin to release the panna cotta, and place it face top down on a plate. Tap the side of the ramekin and lift.
For a firmer texture, serve the blueberry panna cotta straight from the fridge. Allow the panna cottas to sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes for a softer texture.
The blueberry sauce will thicken once cold. If you want your sauce to be loose, either:
- Make the blueberry sauce about 45 minutes before serving and leave it on the bench to cool, or,
- Allow the panna cottas with the sauce to sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes.
Storage
Store in the fridge covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Blueberry Panna Cotta FAQ
Yes, you can! Cover tightly with plastic wrap for up to 3 days, and add the blueberry sauce just before serving.
Absolutely! Just skip step 3 of the recipe.
Yes, you can for the panna cotta part, but they will turn grey/brown instead of staying light purple. You will still need to cook the berries for the blueberry sauce though.
You can, but the blueberry flavour will not be as strong.
The sauce is technically a compote but made without sugar. Otherwise, just blitz the sauce to make it a coulis.
Yes, you can! Generally, use two gelatine leaves per teaspoon of gelatine powder. So, this recipe would require 4 gelatine leaves.
Blitzing the blueberries releases an enzyme, which, when exposed to oxygen, causes the blue/purply colour from the flavonoids (the antioxidant in blueberries that give it the blue colour) to turn grey/brown.
While some browning is still expected, if your blueberry panna cottas turn dark grey/brown, you may not have cooked the blueberries for long enough.
Double-check to make sure you didn’t forget to add the gelatine. If you did, no stress! Just prep the gelatine, add it to the blender with the blueberry panna cotta mix and blitz.
I do not recommend freezing the blueberry panna cottas, as it will likely affect the creamy texture and consistency.
Substitutes & variations
- Fresh blueberries – For a contrast in textures.
- Other berries – Blackberries or cherries would be a good substitute. You could use raspberries, but you would likely need to increase the amount of maple syrup to neutralise the tartness and make the panna cottas taste sweet.
- Milk – I think oat milk would pair nicely with this recipe; otherwise, you could use just about any type of milk.
- Chia seeds – You can use black chia seeds, but your blueberry panna cottas will be much darker in colour.
- Nuts – For a touch of crunch in the topping. I think roughly chopped almonds, macadamias or hazelnuts would work well with this recipe.
- Chocolate –I wouldn’t use chocolate, as it can be quite a strong flavour and may overpower the blueberry and lavender. If you choose to use chocolate, I’d recommend a light sprinkling of shavings.
- Citrus zest – Lemon would suit this recipe the best, but no more than 1 teaspoon.
- Pineapple – Avoid using it in the panna cotta or as a topping. Pineapple contains a natural enzyme called “bromelain”, which digests proteins and can prevent the gelatine from setting properly.
Other dietary
Dairy free – Switch the milk for unsweetened, non-dairy milk (preferably calcium-fortified).
Lactose free – Use lactose free milk in place of the regular milk.
Vegetarian – Swap the gelatine out for roughly 1 teaspoon of agar agar.
Vegan – Substitute the milk for unsweetened plant-based milk (preferably calcium-fortified), and the gelatine for roughly 1 teaspoon agar agar.
Tips
Make sure the gelatine is dissolved before adding it to the blender. Otherwise, you may end up with lumps of gelatine in your blueberry panna cotta. Putting the blueberry panna cotta mixture through a fine sieve before pouring it into your serving glasses/moulds can help remove air bubbles and lumps.
It is important to let the blueberry sauce cool before putting it on top of each panna cotta. Hot sauce will cause the gelatine to melt, making your blueberry panna cotta liquid and the layers uneven.
For best results, allow your panna cottas to set in the fridge overnight. Don’t cheat on the chilling time. Rushing may cause the gelatine to become unset.
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Ingredients
Blueberry Panna Cotta
- 1 3/4 cups milk, low fat
- 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp culinary lavender, (Note 3)
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/4 cup white chia seeds, (Note 4)
- 2 tsp powdered gelatine
- 2 tbsp water
Blueberry Sauce
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 tsp corn flour / starch
Instructions
Blueberry Panna Cotta
- Add 140ml of milk and 1 cup of blueberries into a small saucepan. Heat the saucepan over medium heat with the lid on and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the blueberries have burst and are wrinkled. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool with the lid on. (Note 5)
- Pour the remaining 300ml/10.1 fl oz of the milk into a bowl or jug. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir well to mix.
- Heat the milk in the microwave on high for 2 minutes or until hot. Place a fine sieve over the bowl so that the grates are sitting in the milk. Add the lavender to the sieve, stir with a spoon and leave to steep for 15-20 minutes. Lift the sieve out of the milk and press down on the lavender using the back of a spoon to extract the soaked milk. Discard the lavender.
- Add the chia seeds to the lavender milk and stir to mix. Let the chia seeds sit for 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water to a bowl. Sprinkle in the powdered gelatine, stir to mix and then let stand for 1 minute. Then, heat the gelatine in the microwavefor 10 seconds at a time until dissolved. (Note 6)
- Pour the chia seed mixture into a high-powered blender (I used a bullet blender) and blitz for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the prepared gelatine and cooked blueberry milk to the blender and blitz the mixture for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
- Divide the blueberry panna cotta mix between 4 moulds (either bowls or cups/glasses), cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
Blueberry Sauce
- Add 1 cup of blueberries to a medium saucepan. Combine the cornflour with 1/3 cup of water and pour into the saucepan with the blueberries. Stir to mix.
- Simmer the blueberry sauce mixture for 10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally, or until the liquid has reduced and the blueberry sauce has become glossy and thick like syrup. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool.
- When your panna cottas are firm, add enough cooled blueberry sauce to cover the tops. Serve the layered blueberry panna cottas! (Note 7)
Notes
- Health benefits - Details regarding the benefits of blueberries and other ingredients in this recipe are in the post above.
- Instructions with photos - Detailed in the post above.
- Culinary lavender - Make sure you purchase culinary lavender (not regular lavender!), as it has less oils than regular lavender and is edible. I got my culinary lavender from Amazon.
- White chia seeds - I used white chia seeds to help maintain a lighter purple colour. You can use black chia seeds, but your blueberry panna cottas will be much darker in colour.
- Cooking the blueberries - This step is key to keeping that gorgeous purple colour later; without it, the blueberry panna cotta's will turn grey/brown. If the milk evaporates too much, just add a splash more.
- Prepping the gelatine - Keep an eye on and be careful if using a small bowl, as the gelatine can bubble over the edges and cause a hot mess!
- Adding the blueberry sauce - It is important to let the blueberry sauce cool before putting it on top of each panna cotta. Hot sauce will cause the gelatine to melt, making your blueberry panna cotta liquid and the layers uneven.
- Dairy free – Switch the milk for unsweetened, non-dairy milk (preferably calcium-fortified).
- Lactose free – Use lactose free milk in place of the regular milk.
- Vegetarian – Swap the gelatine out for roughly 1 teaspoon of agar agar.
- Vegan – Substitute the milk for unsweetened plant-based milk (preferably calcium-fortified), and the gelatine for roughly 1 teaspoon agar agar.
- Storage - Will keeep in the fridge covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing the blueberry panna cottas, as it will likely affect the creamy texture and consistency.
- Nutrition - Calculated per serve, assuming 4 serves.