About Mango Panna Cotta
Panna cotta means “cooked cream” in Italian. It is a softly set pudding that is milky and rich, yet firm. Panna cotta can be wholly made with cream or with a combination of cream, milk, and fruits. This famous Italian dessert is our favorite, so I try to make it at least a few times a year. Our favorite iteration comes about when mango season is in full swing. I make my mango panna cotta with the heaps of Alphonso mangoes I can’t help but purchase; they’re too delicious! Aside from this mango-flavored recipe, I also make a strawberry panna cotta in the spring, and regular Panna Cotta Recipe during the rest of the year. If you have never made it, fear not! This is a simple, straightforward recipe that I am certain you can master.
Generally speaking, gelatin is used to set panna cotta, but being vegetarians we do not use gelatin. Luckily, there is a clever method for making this a vegetarian version. The thickening & setting ingredient in this vegetarian mango panna cotta is an ingredient known as agar agar, and not the gelatin that is typically used. Agar agar is a vegan ingredient acquired from a particular kind of algae. It is often used in vegan or vegetarian desserts as a stand-in for gelatin. If you’ve ever had the flavored china grass that is available in the stores, then you’ve already tried agar agar! It is a nearly flavorless ingredient, and a real boon in any vegetarian or vegan kitchen. It can act as an egg substitute in puddings and a gelatin substitute in jellies. Agar agar strands and powder are available easily online and in some Indian metro cities — either will work for this mango panna cotta recipe. If you’re worried about buying an ingredient for just a single recipe, I’m here to allay your concerns. Aside from my panna cotta recipes, agar agar is also used in my Mango Pudding and Mango Cheesecake recipes! Once set, the panna cotta should gently wobble. I have used 1.5 tablespoons of chopped agar agar strands, which set this vegetarian panna cotta perfectly. I have used less amount of agar agar in the past and the panna cotta did not set well, so be sure to measure accurately. Perhaps the most fear-inducing step of making panna cotta is the unmolding process. You just created a gorgeous dessert and want it to look pretty on the plate! Here’s the deal: so long as you oil your serving bowls or ramekins, the mango panna cotta should easily release from the container for a flawless presentation.
How To Make Mango Panna Cotta
Making mango panna cotta is easy. I have used Alphonso mangoes to make the mango pulp because they are abundant here. Feel free to use any good-quality sweet , ripe mangoes. Just make sure they are not fibrous. For the cream, I used light cream (25 to 35% fat) to save on some calories, but regular whipping or heavy cream will also work.
Prep
- First, chop the agar agar strands into small pieces and soak them in ¼ cup of warm water for 10 minutes. You will need 1.5 tablespoons of chopped agar agar strands. I like to use kitchen scissors to chop the agar agar strands. Remember to chop the agar agar into very small pieces. You can also use 1.5 teaspoons of powdered agar agar if you would prefer to skip this step.
- Meanwhile, peel, chop, and then purée 2 medium-sized alphonso mangoes in a blender. Make sure to use mangoes which yield a thick pulp. Mangoes which make for a juicy or runny pulp will affect the texture and consistency of panna cotta making it more like a pudding.
Cook Cream Mixture
- Mix 1.25 cups light cream or whipping cream, 1 cup whole milk, and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan and place it over low to medium-low heat. Stir with a wired whisk. The sugar should dissolve completely. Keep stirring at intervals while the cream mixture comes to a gentle simmer.
Cook Agar Agar
- At the same time, place the agar agar and water solution on the stovetop. Keep stirring until the agar agar strands are dissolved.
Combine
- The cream+milk+sugar mixture should come to a gentle simmer. Turn off the heat as soon as it does.
- The agar agar has also dissolved by now.
- Mix the hot agar agar solution into the hot cream+milk+sugar mixture and stir very well with a wired whisk.
- Wait for about 5 minutes to allow the panna cotta mixture to cool a bit, then add the prepared mango purée and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Mix very well with a whisk until the mixture is entirely uniform.
Assemble and Refrigerate
- If you plan to serve your mango panna cotta on a plate, be sure to grease your bowls. Pour the panna cotta mixture into serving bowls. Cover the serving bowls with a lid, or aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Allow it to cool for about an hour, or until it is just warm to the touch. Place the bowls in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours or more till the mango panna cotta looks wobbly and is perfectly set.
- Serve mango panna cotta chilled. I like to top the serving bowls with some chopped mango pieces or garnish with mint leaves for a bit of extra flair. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Making this vegetarian panna cotta recipe is easy, but I do have a few tips to share to ensure your success: Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Mango Cake Recipe (Eggless + Whole Wheat) Mango Ice Cream (2 Easy Variations) Mango Cheesecake (No Bake) Mango Kulfi (Quick, No Cook Recipe) This Mango Panna Cotta recipe post from the blog archives first published in April 2014 has been republished and updated on 27 April 2022.
title: “Mango Panna Cotta " ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-07” author: “Alexis Mixon”
About Mango Panna Cotta
Panna cotta means “cooked cream” in Italian. It is a softly set pudding that is milky and rich, yet firm. Panna cotta can be wholly made with cream or with a combination of cream, milk, and fruits. This famous Italian dessert is our favorite, so I try to make it at least a few times a year. Our favorite iteration comes about when mango season is in full swing. I make my mango panna cotta with the heaps of Alphonso mangoes I can’t help but purchase; they’re too delicious! Aside from this mango-flavored recipe, I also make a strawberry panna cotta in the spring, and regular Panna Cotta Recipe during the rest of the year. If you have never made it, fear not! This is a simple, straightforward recipe that I am certain you can master.
Generally speaking, gelatin is used to set panna cotta, but being vegetarians we do not use gelatin. Luckily, there is a clever method for making this a vegetarian version. The thickening & setting ingredient in this vegetarian mango panna cotta is an ingredient known as agar agar, and not the gelatin that is typically used. Agar agar is a vegan ingredient acquired from a particular kind of algae. It is often used in vegan or vegetarian desserts as a stand-in for gelatin. If you’ve ever had the flavored china grass that is available in the stores, then you’ve already tried agar agar! It is a nearly flavorless ingredient, and a real boon in any vegetarian or vegan kitchen. It can act as an egg substitute in puddings and a gelatin substitute in jellies. Agar agar strands and powder are available easily online and in some Indian metro cities — either will work for this mango panna cotta recipe. If you’re worried about buying an ingredient for just a single recipe, I’m here to allay your concerns. Aside from my panna cotta recipes, agar agar is also used in my Mango Pudding and Mango Cheesecake recipes! Once set, the panna cotta should gently wobble. I have used 1.5 tablespoons of chopped agar agar strands, which set this vegetarian panna cotta perfectly. I have used less amount of agar agar in the past and the panna cotta did not set well, so be sure to measure accurately. Perhaps the most fear-inducing step of making panna cotta is the unmolding process. You just created a gorgeous dessert and want it to look pretty on the plate! Here’s the deal: so long as you oil your serving bowls or ramekins, the mango panna cotta should easily release from the container for a flawless presentation.
How To Make Mango Panna Cotta
Making mango panna cotta is easy. I have used Alphonso mangoes to make the mango pulp because they are abundant here. Feel free to use any good-quality sweet , ripe mangoes. Just make sure they are not fibrous. For the cream, I used light cream (25 to 35% fat) to save on some calories, but regular whipping or heavy cream will also work.
Prep
- First, chop the agar agar strands into small pieces and soak them in ¼ cup of warm water for 10 minutes. You will need 1.5 tablespoons of chopped agar agar strands. I like to use kitchen scissors to chop the agar agar strands. Remember to chop the agar agar into very small pieces. You can also use 1.5 teaspoons of powdered agar agar if you would prefer to skip this step.
- Meanwhile, peel, chop, and then purée 2 medium-sized alphonso mangoes in a blender. Make sure to use mangoes which yield a thick pulp. Mangoes which make for a juicy or runny pulp will affect the texture and consistency of panna cotta making it more like a pudding.
Cook Cream Mixture
- Mix 1.25 cups light cream or whipping cream, 1 cup whole milk, and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan and place it over low to medium-low heat. Stir with a wired whisk. The sugar should dissolve completely. Keep stirring at intervals while the cream mixture comes to a gentle simmer.
Cook Agar Agar
- At the same time, place the agar agar and water solution on the stovetop. Keep stirring until the agar agar strands are dissolved.
Combine
- The cream+milk+sugar mixture should come to a gentle simmer. Turn off the heat as soon as it does.
- The agar agar has also dissolved by now.
- Mix the hot agar agar solution into the hot cream+milk+sugar mixture and stir very well with a wired whisk.
- Wait for about 5 minutes to allow the panna cotta mixture to cool a bit, then add the prepared mango purée and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Mix very well with a whisk until the mixture is entirely uniform.
Assemble and Refrigerate
- If you plan to serve your mango panna cotta on a plate, be sure to grease your bowls. Pour the panna cotta mixture into serving bowls. Cover the serving bowls with a lid, or aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Allow it to cool for about an hour, or until it is just warm to the touch. Place the bowls in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours or more till the mango panna cotta looks wobbly and is perfectly set.
- Serve mango panna cotta chilled. I like to top the serving bowls with some chopped mango pieces or garnish with mint leaves for a bit of extra flair. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Making this vegetarian panna cotta recipe is easy, but I do have a few tips to share to ensure your success: Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Mango Cake Recipe (Eggless + Whole Wheat) Mango Ice Cream (2 Easy Variations) Mango Cheesecake (No Bake) Mango Kulfi (Quick, No Cook Recipe) This Mango Panna Cotta recipe post from the blog archives first published in April 2014 has been republished and updated on 27 April 2022.
