Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert meaning cooked cream.  It is wonderfully smooth and light, the perfect ending to a filling meal.  Many recipes use sugar for the sweetener, but in this recipe Giada uses honey, which goes well with the fresh berry topping.  The version above was made with a red currant topping. You could also drizzle chocolate or caramel sauce over the top for extra pizzazz.

Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries

Serves 6

From Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis

1 cup whole milk

1 Tblsp unflavored powdered gelatin (about 1 1/2 packets of Knox gelatin)

3 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup honey

1 Tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

2 cups fresh berries (I used raspberries and blueberries)

Place the milk in a heavy small saucepan.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk and let sit 5 minutes.  Stir over medium heat until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes.

Add the cream, honey, sugar and salt.  Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.  Divide into 6 wine glasses or pudding cups.  Cover and refrigerate until set, about 6 hours or overnight.

Spoon fresh berries over each panna cotta before serving.