Espresso Panna Cotta Recipe: A Diabetes-Friendly Dessert

I love Italian food and panna cotta is a favorite dessert of mine.  When I heard that Amy Riolo, award-winning author, chef, cooking show host, cooking instructor, and Mediterranean expert released a new cookbook- THE ITALIAN DIABETES COOKBOOK [January 2016, $18.95 US / $23.50 CAN] of authentic and naturally healthy recipes from her Italian homeland, I was excited.  I love healthy food that doesn’t compromise on flavors.  This cookbook includes 150 easy-to-prepare, satisfying, and robust Italian dishes that can be enjoyed by the whole family — while helping fine food lovers everywhere achieve their health goals. Most recipes contain notes on the history and the cultural importance of each dish, providing readers with an amazing meal and a cultural experience.  I am happy to say that I have received permission to reprint the espresso panna cotta recipe from the Italian Diabetes Cookbook here.

Espresso Panna Cotta Recipe (Panna Cotta al Caffè)

From “The Italian Diabetes Cookbook”, p. 238

Panna cotta, Italian for “cooked cream,” is a specialty of northern Italy’s Piedmont region—an area known for its superior dairy products. Panna cotta, or some version of it, has long been popular throughout most of Europe and in other countries along the Mediterranean.

This creamy, espresso-laced panna cotta is light enough to eat every day but impressive enough to serve to guests. I use yogurt instead of the traditional cream to make the espresso panna cotta recipe lighter.

[Note: You will need four (1/2-cup) ramekins to complete this dish.]

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus at least 4 hours refrigeration) | Cooking Time: 0 minutes

Espresso Panna Cotta Recipe Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly made espresso coffee, divided
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup natural sugar
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat, low-sugar French vanilla yogurt, drained in a fine-mesh strainer
• 1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder

Espresso Panna Cotta Recipe Instructions:

1. Pour 2 tablespoons espresso into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Whisk to combine, and let stand until thickened.

2. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup hot espresso into a small saucepan and whisk in the sugar until it has dissolved.

3. Stir in the yogurt and salt, and put the saucepan over medium heat.

4. When the mixture begins to bubble a little around the edges, take the pan off the heat.

5. With a fork, whisk the gelatin/espresso mixture and add it into the saucepan. Whisk until well combined, keeping the pan off heat. Allow the mixture to sit for a minute. Carefully divide the mixture into 4 ramekins and allow to come to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

6. To unmold easily, dip the bottom of each ramekin, one at a time, into some just-boiled water and hold there for about 8 seconds. Let each stand out of the water for another few seconds before wiping off the water and putting a small salad plate or saucer on top; then overturn the ramekin and let the espresso panna cotta drop onto the plate. Sprinkle each with cocoa powder, and serve.

Italian Living Tradition

Panna cotta dates back to the 10^th century, when it’s believed that a woman of Hungarian origin first prepared it in Piedmont’s Langhe area (also noted for its wine and white truffles). Original versions of panna cotta use heavy cream instead of yogurt. You can change the flavor of this recipe by replacing the espresso used in the gelatin mixture with 2 teaspoons of almond or vanilla extract, or by using a flavored yogurt.

Exchanges/Food Choices:

1/2 Low-Fat Milk

1 Carbohydrate Calories 120 Calories from Fat 10 Total Fat 1g Saturated Fat 0.7g Trans Fat 0.0g Cholesterol 5mg Sodium 135mg Potassium 225mg Total Carbohydrate 24g Dietary Fiber 0g Sugars 17g Protein 4g Phosphorus 120mg

Copyright © 2016 American Diabetes Association. From The Italian Diabetes Cookbook. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. To order this book call 1-800-232-6733 or order online at ShopDiabetes.org.