Chocolate Panna Cotta with Agar Agar | How to make Chocolate Panna Cotta without Gelatin ~ Simple Delicious Food Recipes

For the second day of making Member's choice, I decided to make Pannacotta. Pannacotta is from Italian which means literally cooked cream. It is a dessert made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool. Panna cotta is normally made with gelatin, since the time I knew that gelatin has animal bones, I stopped using it if I have to eat.

So I had this Agar Agar or China Grass powder always stocked with me. Imagine after getting it a while ago, I finally made this. After deciding to make Panna cotta, I had to make it with chocolate what with the kids wanting to eat only chocolate. Today being a Sunday, I decided to serve this for lunch dessert. Kids were eagerly waiting for this.

Though I had couple of recipes written down, I wanted to refer what's online. I remember Pavani making it for one of the BM, so thought I would check it out and see if I could adapt that recipe. It turned out that it was pretty much easy and it was quick to make it. So here I am done, chilled and cleaned the plates as well. Veena got those cute little hearts and I wanted to use them right away. Those looked so cute that I was drooling over those cuties.

Chinnu as always was little hesitant about this, however after one bite, he was grabbing for more. The last picture was the one I was serving them right away and the last bit had a heart and I couldn't avoid not clicking a picture. And I had to curb the need to upload some more as I had clicked in many angles, I had to remove them. Afterall however way I showed, it was sure to make everyone fall more for this..:)

Step by Step pictures for making Chocolate Panna Cotta with Agar Agar

Chocolate Panna Cotta without Gelatin (with Agar Agar)

Ingredients Needed:

Heavy Cream - 11/4 cups

Milk - 1 1/4 cups

Agar Agar powder (China grass) - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Dark Chocolate, chopped - 1/4 cup

Milk Chocolate, chopped - 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract - 1tsp

Molds - I used 4 ramekins, 4 small serving bowls, 1 medium serving bowl.

How to make the Chocolate Panna Cotta

Keep molds ready.

In a thick bottom pan, combine heavy cream, milk and sugar, bring the mixture to a boil. This takes about 5 mins.

Lower the heat and add the agar powder. Whisk vigorously until it completely dissolves; simmer for 2-3 minutes.

MW the chocolates for 30 secs - 1 min to melt.

Remove from heat and then stir in melted chocolate. Whisk well to combine the chocolate into the milk.

Next add the vanilla and mix again.

Pour the mixture into the selected molds/ bowls. Cool a little bit, then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.

When ready to serve, dip the mold in hot water and run a sharp paring knife around the edges and then invert onto the serving plate.

Dust with cocoa powder and sprinkle the hearts for decoration, serve.

Alternatively you can serve with whipped cream, ice cream and grated chocolate.