Panna Cotta with Chocolate Jello
Panna Cotta with Chocolate Jello: quick and easy, creamy, rich in flavor vanilla base with silky chocolate topping. Elegant, fancy and delightful for every occasion. With every bite and every spoonful you will wish for more!
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Two rich and creamy desserts combined into one, creating the most elegant and fancy dessert you’ll ever taste. I created this recipe based on Ptichye Moloko (Bird’s Milk), several panna cotta recipes, mousses and jello desserts. In my family, not everyone likes the combo of jello and the berry sauce in panna cotta. If bottom layer is gelatinized, they want the top layer same in texture as well. This is how I decided to put 2 into 1, satisfying the sweet tooth of each family member.
Panna Cotta with Chocolate Jello Recipe:
Panna cotta recipes use whole milk and heavy cream for the rich and creamy outcome, but I prefer 2% milk. It makes it slightly less rich, but still creamy. I also keep a fair amount of sugar in both layers so that the dessert comes out just perfect and not overloaded with sugar.
These beautiful treats look even more stunning topped with fresh berries and some leaves. I add only 1 fresh raspberry into each cup and a tiny stem with fresh mint leaves. I always look for tiny mint leaves at grocery stores and end up buying packs to choose only the tiny ones for tiny desserts. Finally, I decided to plant some at home. I purchased a peppermint and mint bushes and I always have some on hand. If you do decide to purchase either to plant in your garden, make sure to plant them somewhere far from your door as these tend to really expand, kind of like raspberry bushes.
I always prefer Knox brand for gelatin over other genetic brands. You can find the unflavored gelatin in the baking aisle of pretty much any grocery store. You can also purchase some at Amazon, by clicking here.
Serving these treats in mini cups with the mini spoon in each, makes it looks fancy, no mess with dishes and the taste is just as amazing. It will take a little longer to spoon each flavor into all the cups, but you will end up with beautiful results and the sides of every cup will be clean and ‘wow’d’ by your guests when served. It won’t be a special occasion without these!
The Panna Cotta with Chocolate Jello is a make-ahead dessert. I always make it the day before any gathering and it’s a huge relief on my menu the day of the event. Keep them refrigerated until ready to serve. These taste better cold and usually preferred to be eaten cold.
What is Panna Cotta?
Panna Cotta is a creamy Italian dessert. It has an incredibly smooth and creamy texture and most times flavored with berries, caramel, coffee or fruits. The name means ‘cooked cream’ even though the ingredients are only warmed enough to dissolve gelatin and sugar.
Ingredients for Panna Cotta with Chocolate Jello:
- Milk (2% or whole)
- Knox unflavored gelatin
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Fine salt
- Sour cream
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Cold water
- Fresh raspberries – optional
- Fresh mint leaves – optional
How to Make Panna Cotta:
Scroll down for the printable recipe.
- In a medium saucepan, combine and heat-to-steam milk and unflavored gelatin.
- Add heavy cream, granulated sugar, fine salt and vanilla extract stirring until mixture is steaming.
- Into medium bowl with sour cream, add the creamy mixture whisking until completely smooth.
- Divide the cream into 2 oz cups and refrigerate to set for few hours.
How to Make Chocolate Jello:
- In a medium saucepan, combine and whisk unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar and unflavored gelatin.
- Add milk and cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
- Cool chocolate mixture to room temperature.
- Divide chocolate mixture equally among all cups with panna cotta, by slowly pouring teaspoon by teaspoon.
- Decorate with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.
- Refrigerate to fully set then serve.
Serve these treats cold in mini cups with a mini spoon inserted into each. Every guest will have their own little treat. Fancy and elegant!
Love Jello? Try These Other Desserts:
- Broken Glass Juice Gelatin – use your favorite juices to create this colorful, juicy and creamy, fun, eye-catching, light dessert
- Fruity Gelatin Bundt Cake Dessert – combo of fresh fruits combined with apple juice gelatin
- Ptichye Moloko (Bird’s Milk) – light and fluffy combination of creamy white and cocoa mousse-like layers; easy dessert in 30 minutes
Panna Cotta with Chocolate Jello
Ingredients
Ingredients for Panna Cotta:
- 1 cup 2% or whole milk (I use 2%)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin , (1 pocket Knox gelatin)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of fine salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- fresh raspberries - for decorating (optional)
- fresh mint leaves - for decorating (optional)
Ingredients for Chocolate Jello:
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin , (1 pocket Knox gelatin)
- 1/3 cup 2% or whole milk (I use 2%)
- 1 cup cold water
Instructions
How to Make Panna Cotta:
- Off the heat, place 1 cup milk in a medium saucepan and sprinkle 1 pocket unflavored gelatin over the top of milk. Let stand 3-5 mins or until gelatin is softened. Place pan over medium/low heat and stir until gelatin fully dissolves and milk is steaming (about 4-5 mins – do not boil).
- Add 1 ½ cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Continue stirring (about 4-5 mins) until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is steaming (be sure not to boil). Remove pan from heat and let cool for 5 mins.
- Place 1 cup sour cream into a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, gradually add the warm milk mixture. Once the mixture is completely smooth, let it stand for 10 mins so the bubbles disappear. Divide the cream into wine glasses, ramekins or 2 oz cups. Refrigerate until fully set (3-4 hours).
How to Make Chocolate Jello (it needs to cool):
- Start making this flavor with 1 hour left to cool for panna cotta (if trying to fasten the process). In a small saucepan, whisk: ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 pocket unflavored gelatin. Then add 1/3 cup milk and 1 cup cold water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil while mixing constantly so that the chocolate doesn’t lump up. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp (1 – 1 ½ hrs). *Transfer to a different dish to cool faster.
- Once chocolate jello has cooled and panna cotta is set, divide chocolate mixture equally among all cups. Slowly pour 1 measuring teaspoon of chocolate jello into each cup. Then go around and do another round of 1 teaspoon and then ¼ teaspoon into each. (Pouring in smaller portions will prevent from splashing to the sides of the cups). Decorate with fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate until fully set (about 1 hour).
Notes
- To make panna cotta less creamy: Use 2% milk instead of whole milk. The dessert will have just the right amount of rich and creamy.
- Serve in 2 oz cups: Serving these treats in miniature cups makes it look fancy, no mess with dishes and the taste is just as amazing. Use 1 teaspoon measuring spoon to spoon into each cup and avoid splashing onto sides of each mini cup.
- Use unflavored gelatin: I use Knox brand.
- Is this a make-ahead dessert: Yes! Make it the day before any gathering and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. It tastes better cold than melted.
- Panna Cotta with Chocolate Jello stays fresh up to 3 days in refrigerator.
Joyce says:
This was one of the best jello recipes I have ever made, hands down. It was so creamy!
Maria says:
What an elegant and tasty dessert. I never thought of combining panna cotta with jello on top. My family never liked the unset berry part of panna cotta that most recipes tell you to make. Then I came across your recipe and it was a huge hit at family gathering. Everyone enjoyed it and were asking for more and the recipe. Thank you for the recipe Olga!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you for sharing that with us, Maria! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Nina says:
It’s very good jello, and very easy to make. Thank you for sharing.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Nina!
Oksana says:
This is the only jello recipe I’ve been making all these months. Always turns out, not too sweet not too bland and so easy. Love this combo so much.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Oksana! I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying this recipe 🙂
Cindy says:
I’m so excited to make this. Can I make it 2 days in advance?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Hi Cindy! I usually make it the day in advance so it tastes fresh. Also, if you’re going to use fresh raspberries on top, they tend to get moldy fast on the inside (just something to consider). But, in general this dessert is delicious for 3-4 days. Longer than that I would not go. 🙂
Brittany says:
Made a double of this recipe for husband’s birthday over the weekend. These were gone in no time. Love how the layers are just enough sweet and not bland or too sweet. (See that a lot). I’ll be making these again in a week😋
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Brittany, glad you liked these and happy late Birthday to your husband! 🙂
Dianna says:
Can you double the recipe? Will the heating and cooling times be the same?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Absolutely yes! The heating might take a minute or so longer (just don’t boil) but the cooling is the same if you’re serving in small cups. I usually do a double myself since my family is big and gotta have enough for all 🙂
Lida says:
Loved these! The texture the flavors combination and how easy these are. Thank you for sharing another of your amazing recipes!!!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You’re very welcome, Lida! I’m so glad you liked these 🙂
Gloria says:
These were a huge hit at my sister’s b-day on Sunday. Love the texture, the flavors. They looked so beautiful at the desserts table. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe with us! 🙂
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You’re very welcome Gloria 🙂
Rosie says:
These treats are so yummy. Made 3 servings of the recipe and all were gone within minutes. Everyone loved the chocolate layer especially. 😍
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I’m so glad you liked this recipe so much. They do disappear quickly 🙂