Honey Lavender Panna Cotta (Printable)

Creamy Italian dessert infused with floral lavender and natural honey sweetness.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Sweeteners & Flavorings

03 - 1/3 cup honey
04 - 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Setting Agent

06 - 2.5 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
07 - 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Garnish

08 - Fresh edible flowers
09 - Extra honey for drizzling
10 - Fresh berries

# How-To:

01 - Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl and let bloom for 5 minutes until hydrated.
02 - Combine heavy cream, whole milk, honey, and dried lavender in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low heat until just steaming, stirring occasionally, without allowing to boil.
03 - Remove saucepan from heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes to extract maximum floral flavor.
04 - Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lavender solids. Return strained liquid to saucepan.
05 - Stir bloomed gelatin into warm cream mixture until fully dissolved. Mix in vanilla extract thoroughly.
06 - Divide mixture evenly among 4 ramekins or dessert glasses. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours until fully set.
07 - Unmold by running a knife tip around edges and inverting onto plates, or serve directly in glasses. Garnish with honey drizzle, edible flowers, or fresh berries.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly elegant but requires almost no real cooking skill, just patience and a gentle hand.
  • The honey and lavender create this unexpected floral note that makes people lean in and ask what that flavor is.
  • You can make it the day before, which means you actually get to enjoy your guests instead of scrambling in the kitchen.
02 -
  • If your gelatin looks grainy after you add it, the mixture was too hot or cooled unevenly—strain it through cheesecloth, reheat gently, and pour into fresh ramekins.
  • Don't skip blooming the gelatin in cold water first, or you'll end up with lumps that no amount of stirring will fix.
03 -
  • Temperature control is everything—if the mixture is even a little too hot when you add gelatin, it'll set unevenly, so let it cool for a minute first.
  • For a foolproof unmold, dip the ramekin briefly in warm water and use a thin offset spatula to loosen the sides before inverting onto the plate.
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