This vegan Panna Cotta gets its beautiful golden colour from ackee and saffron. The red berries and sauce make a gorgeous contrast both visually and in taste.
Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts to make. This is for the simple fact that it’s so easy to make and make ahead. The name translates from Italian to “cooked cream”. It’s a pudding consisting of sweetened cream typically thickened with gelatin and flavored with vanilla. You can flavour it however you like, serve it in cups or molded with fruit or sauces, so many possibilities to make it your own.
As I continue to explore incorporating ackee into new recipes, ackee panna cotta was on my list of desserts to try. I typically work at a 50/50 balance of vegan/vegetarian and other recipes here on the blog. So for this go round I’ve done a vegan version.
This recipe is similar to the vegan creme brulee recipe:
In this recipe, like I did with the creme brulee, I’ve used both arrowroot and agar agar. I like using the arrowroot since it gives a fuller, creamier mouthfeel. The agar is needed to make the panna cotta firm enough to be un-molded.
How to make Vegan Panna Cotta:
The first step here is to steep the saffron. I warm half of the oat milk in the recipe, then place the saffron threads in it and leave it covered for about 25 minutes.
Once steeped, the saffron milk is blended with the ackee and arrowroot.
In a separate pot the balance of the oat milk is boiled with the sugar and agar till the agar dissolves.
When I made the Creme Brulee, I had used agar agar flakes. But this time around I used agar agar powder and really loved the results.
After the agar agar has dissolved; the ackee-saffron blend is added to the pot and simmered briefly for the arrowroot to thicken. After that it’s into the bowls and in the fridge to set.
These are small ceramic ingredient bowls I picked up at Target. Silicone molds are also an option and if you don’t plan to un-mold the panna cotta, you can use a nice clear glass instead.
For garnish: sliced strawberries and raspberries and raspberry sauce. All done!
What do you think? As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. If you make this or any of the recipes from this site, be sure to #amazingackee and @amazingackee so I can see you posts across social media.
Till next time! Thanks for stopping by ☺️
Ackee & Saffron Vegan Panna Cotta
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
To start:
- 1 pinch Saffron Threads
- 3/4 cup Unsweetened Oat Milk (we love the extra creamy one from Planet Oat, the Silk oat milk is good too)
- 1/2 cup Parboiled Ackee (or canned)
- 1 tbsp Arrowroot powder (also called arrowroot flour/starch)
Second:
- 1/4 tsp Agar Agar Powder (highly recommend the Living Jin brand noted above)
- 1/4 cup Cane Sugar
- 1 cup Unsweetened Oat Milk
To garnish:
- 1 cup Raspberries, large ones halved
- 1 cup Strawberries, quartered
- Raspberry Sauce, as needed (recipe in notes)
Instructions
Steep the saffron
- Bring the first 3/4 cup of oat milk to a simmer, remove from heat and add saffron threads. Let stand for 20 minutes.
Make the panna cotta
- After the first set of milk has steeped and cooled.Combine the remaining milk and sugar in a saucepot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Let the milk cook till the sugar and agar agar dissolves. About 5 minutes
- Meanwhile, blend the steeped oat milk with the ackees and arrowroot till smooth
- Once the agar and sugar have dissolved. Add the ackee mixture to the pot and cook for another two minutes till the mixture thickens. (Do not let boil vigourously or for too long as arrowroot loses its thickening power at high temperatures and if it's overcooked).
- Remove from heat and pour into molds or serving container of choice. Chill to set.Depending on the size of the container you use they can set up in an hour. These can be made up to two days ahead
- When set, un-mold if serving plated and garnish.Otherwise top with sauce and berries in bowl
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Put 1 cup of raspberries in a heavy bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat.
- Sprinkle a couple teaspoons of sugar if the raspberries aren’t very sweet. Stir and mush the raspberries. They will start to breakdown as they’re heated.
- Taste the sauce and add more sugar if desired.
- Remove from heat, blend and strain the sauce.