Recipe details
Ingredients
- 24g of powdered unflavoured gelatine (if using Dr Oetker 2 sachets is perfect)
- 115ml whole milk
- 227g punnet of strawberries, topped and quartered
- 75g blueberries
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 560ml double cream
- 345ml whole milk
- Warm raspberry jam to coat
Instructions
- Start by pouring the 115ml milk in a dish and stirring in the powdered gelatine. Leave to bloom whilst you prepare the berries.
- Pour the berries and sugar into a pan and heat on a medium high heat. Allow them to simmer and break down until the liquid thickens a bit. Strain through a sieve, reserving the thickened liquid. You should have around 230-250g.
- Add the strained liquid back to the pan and stir in the gelatine and milk mix. Heat gently stirring continuously until the gelatine has completely dissolved.
- In a medium bowl, pour in the double cream and milk, followed by the berry mix. Stir well and pour into your brain mould. Rest it comfortably in a bowl before pouring. Ensure it’s level as it will set in the fridge like this.
- Move to the fridge and allow to set for at least 8 hours. I always leave mine overnight as it is such a large dessert you want to make sure it’s fully set.
- To remove, fill the bowl it was resting in with hot water and lower into it for 30 seconds. Top the mould with the plate you are serving on and flip over, gently lifting the mould to uncover. If it isn’t coming out try the water bowl for another 30 seconds until it comes away, or alternatively see my tips below.
- Brush with warm raspberry jam and serve for a spooktacular Halloween party table centre piece!
The perfect no-bake Halloween Party Table Centrepiece!
If you can get past how it looks, this is actually a very tasty berry Panna Cotta! I used a jelly brain mould I bought in the supermarket a couple of weeks ago for less than £2, but there are lots of places you can find them. It’s actually really effective and released from the mould very easily. Save for your Halloween party inspiration!
What is Panna Cotta?
Panna cotta is a smooth, creamy Italian dessert made from sweetened cream thickened with gelatine and typically flavoured with vanilla, but works well with many flavours. Its texture is silky and delicate, almost like a cross between a custard and a mousse, and it is often served chilled with a topping of fresh berries, caramel, or fruit coulis. Light and elegant, panna cotta is a perfect dessert for those who enjoy subtle flavours and a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
Tips for removing your Panna Cotta from the mould:
I find that spraying the mould lightly with PME cake release spray was a really effective way of ensuring the panna cotta glided out easily.
Another suggestion is sitting the set panna cotta in the mould, into a bowl of warm water for around 20-30 seconds. I then topped with the plate I was serving on and flipped it over. Allowing me to gently lift the mould and reveal my perfectly set panna cotta.
It also goes without saying to make sure your panna cotta isI thoroughly set, and is therefore able to hold itself when removed from the mould. Due to the size of this dessert I found leaving it to set overnight was the safest bet.
If you feel your panna cotta needs a helping hand, loosen gently with a knife around the edges before trying the warm water.
These tips should make un-moulding panna cotta easier without damaging its shape.
Can I use other berries?
Absolutely! Blackberries, cherries, redcurrants and raspberries are also great in this recipe, just be sure to keep the quantities the same.
