Description
This elegant White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Orange-Chocolate Sauce is a creamy, luscious dessert featuring smooth white chocolate infused panna cotta topped with a rich orange-dark chocolate sauce. Garnished with chocolate beads and candied orange peel, it offers a perfect balance of sweetness and citrus notes, ideal for impressing guests at any dinner party or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Panna Cotta
- 1/4 oz. powdered unflavored gelatin (1 envelope)
- 1 1/2 cups half and half or whole milk, cold
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels or 3 oz. white chocolate bar, chopped
- 1/4 cup sugar
Orange-Dark Chocolate Sauce and Toppings
- 3 oz. orange dark chocolate bar, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
- 2 tablespoons Callebaut Crispearls chocolate beads or other chocolate caviar
- 12 pieces candied orange peel, 2-3” lengths
Instructions
- Bloom Gelatin: Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over 1/4 cup of the half and half in a small bowl. Stir briefly and let stand for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes lumpy.
- Heat Cream and Chocolate: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, white chocolate, and sugar. Stir consistently until the white chocolate is melted and sugar has dissolved, approximately 5 minutes.
- Dissolve Gelatin and Combine: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the lumpy gelatin mixture into the hot cream mixture until fully dissolved. Then stir in the remaining 1 1/4 cups of half and half to combine evenly.
- Pour and Chill: Divide the mixture evenly between six 8 oz. stemmed glasses or ramekins. Alternatively, use smaller 2.6 oz mini martini glasses for 12 servings. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or up to two days ahead of serving.
- Prepare Orange-Dark Chocolate Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chopped orange dark chocolate and 3/4 cup heavy cream on high for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon orange liqueur. Let the sauce cool until warm but pourable.
- Serve and Garnish: Spoon a little of the dark chocolate sauce on top of each set panna cotta. Serve extra sauce on the side in a small syrup pitcher. Garnish each glass with a few chocolate beads and one piece of candied orange peel just before serving.
Notes
- This panna cotta is lightly set with a small wobble and rich flavor from the creamy white chocolate and the orange-infused chocolate syrup.
- Use white chocolate morsels containing real cocoa butter for best melting and flavor, or chop a white chocolate baking bar.
- The dark chocolate sauce can be made with orange-flavored dark chocolate or plain dark chocolate if preferred.
- Portion sizes can be adjusted to serve 6 larger or 12 smaller servings depending on the occasion.
- Make the panna cotta up to two days in advance. Add the chocolate sauce before serving, but wait to add candied orange peel garnish until 1-2 hours before serving to prevent weeping.
- If using ramekins for plating, serve the chocolate sauce on the side or drizzle just before serving to maintain texture.
- The chocolate sauce remains pourable after mixing but will firm slightly in the refrigerator without becoming hard like ganache.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
