Panna Cotta with Strawberries

Last summer I taught cooking classes and offered 5 course Italian meals to many people in Mississippi. It was an incredibly fun time for me to get to share part of Italy's cuisine and culture with so many people along with sharing about my ministry here in Italy. Everyone loved this dessert that I made part of the 5 course meal. The beauty of it is its simplicity despite it fabulous presentation. It's rich in flavor but still ight after a big dinner.  People will think you spent hours working on this and that it must be something difficult. Not so! So here's the recipe. Enjoy and let me know how you like it. I usually make it the day before I want to serve it but after it's made it will last in the fridge for several days in the mold.

1 cup whole milk
scant Tb of powdered unflavored gelatin
3 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean split open- since these are costly in the US i only use half a bean per recipe
1 lb. fresh strawberries
4Tb sugar
4 tsp. balsamic vinegar


Place the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Pour milk mixture into a heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves and the milk doesn't boil yet.- make sure not to burn the milk on your saucepan bottom, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, vanilla bean, and powdered sugar and bring just to the start of a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer about 3-5 mins. Remove pot from fire and pour into molds- you can use the metal condiment bowls, individual muffin molds, wine glasses, dessert bowls, whatever you have handy. Refridgerate the desserts a minimum of 2 hours to allow it to set. I always make it in the morning or day before I serve it. Depending on the size of your mold it should make around 6 desserts. Cut the strawberries lengthwise and mix with the sugar and balsamic. let sit 30 mins. Turn out your molds by running a knife around the inside of the mold or if using glass dessert bowls/wine glasses you can serve the dessert right in those. Top each dessert with a spoonful of strawberries and a little of the juice. Serve straight out of the fridge.