Vanilla Chai Spiced Panna Cotta
Nah-ma-stay in bed with a bowl of this
What is Vanilla Chai Spiced Panna Cotta?
Chai panna cotta combines the creamy smoothness of panna cotta with the warm, aromatic spices found in chai. The panna cotta is made with vanilla, coconut cream and milk for extra silky richness. The infusion of chai spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger in the sauce gives it a warm and cozy flavour.
You’ll love it if…
You like the warmth of spices, the comfort of chai, and the chilled jiggly playfulness of pana cotta *Chef’s kiss*
If you have one of those yoga loving friends who goes for weeklong retreats to balance her chakras and drops a casual namaste at the end of texts, she probably drinks date sweetened chai with plant milk.
This recipe is not for her.
This recipe is for YOU.
You like the warmth of spices, the comfort of chai, and the chilled jiggly playfulness of pana cotta, and you want them all in one.
There is nothing Om Shanti about this dessert. The chai spiced sauce is deliciously comforting. The vanilla and coconut pana cotta is oh so smooth, it’s like climbing into cool, freshly washed sheets on a warm day. It’s like a hug in the form of a cool, summery dessert.
Well I suppose hugging is a teeny bit Om Shanti. The pana cotta in me honours the pana cotta in you – but only if I’m feeling enough oneness to share.
If you don’t want to share, don’t worry – your yogini friend probably only eats date and turmeric protein balls for dessert anyway. More vanilla chai spiced pana cotta for you then!
Prepare The Ingredients
Add cold water to the gelatine powder and mix. Leave for 5 minutes until the gelatine “blooms”
Make the Panna Cotta
Add the milk and coconut milk to a saucepan on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and add the sugar, vanilla and gelatine.
Pour the panna cotta into moulds and set in the fridge.
Plate and Enjoy!
Mix the steeped chai or chai syrup with condensed milk to make a sauce.
Demould the panna cotta and generously drizzle with the chai sauce. Serve and Enjoy!
- If you don’t have have coconut cream / milk, you can use any other milk like almond milk or oat milk, or you can use heavy cream and milk.
- You can use any other syrup like a passion fruit puree, or a caramel sauce instead of the chai sauce.
- Instead of powdered gelatine you can use gelatine sheets or agar agar. See FAQs at the end of the recipe.
- If you have trouble getting the panna cotta out of the mould, dip the moulds into a heatproof bowl half-filled with hot water. Leave for about 5 seconds. You can also use a sharp knife around the edges to loosen it.
Vanilla Chai Spiced Panna Cotta
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Moulds or ramekins to shape the panna cotta
Ingredients
For the Panna Cotta
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1 1/2 cup full cream milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract / vanilla essence
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 sachet gelatine powder about 1 tablespoon
For the Spiced Chai sauce
- 1 tablespoon loose leaf chai tea leaves or 2 chai teabags *you can also substitute chai flavour syrup
- 5-6 tablespoons of boiling hot water *not required if you are using chai flavour syrup
- 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
Making the Panna Cotta
- Add 3 tablespoons of cold water to the gelatine powder (1 sachet, about 1 tablespoon) and mix. Leave for 5 minutes until the gelatine “blooms”, once it absorbs the water and doubles in size, it is ready.
- Add 1 1/2 cup full cream milk and ½ cup coconut cream to a saucepan on medium heat. Keep stirring and bring it up to a gentle simmer – that is when you see small bubbles appearing on the surface.
- Turn your heat to low. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, a pinch of salt and the bloomed gelatine. Keep stirring until the sugar and gelatine is dissolved about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour into your moulds. Leave it out to get to room temperature and then move to the fridge to set. It will take 2-3 hours in the fridge to set.
Making the Chai Sauce
- Brew a very strong concoction of chai using 2 chai teabags or 1 tablespoon of loose leaf chai in 5-6 tablesppoons hot water, steep for a few minutes.
- Strain well or squeeze out the teabags and add 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.
To Serve
- Take out your set panna cotta by putting a plate or bowl over the mould and inverting it.
- Drizzle over a generous amount of chai sauce. Dig in and enjoy!
Video
FAQ
How do I store leftover panna cotta?
Leftover panna cotta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the sauce in a separate container from the panna cotta. Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Can I use store-bought chai for this recipe?
Absolutely! You can use store-bought chai tea bags or concentrate / chai syrup to save time. Just steep the tea bags in the hot water according to the recipe to infuse the flavors. If using chai syrup, there’s no need to add hot water. Just mix it directly into the sweetened condensed milk.
What can I use to set the panna cotta, apart from powdered gelatine?
You can use gelatine sheets or agar-agar as alternatives to powdered gelatine.
For gelatine sheets: Soak 1 sheet of gelatine in cold water for about 5-10 minutes until soft. Squeeze out excess water and then dissolve the sheets in the warm cream mixture, stirring until fully melted. Read the packet instructions for better guidance.
For agar agar: Use about 1 tablespoon of agar agar powder. Combine it with the cream and bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure it dissolves completely. Pour into moulds and allow to set in the refrigerator.
Both options will give you a beautifully set panna cotta, but the agar agar set panna cotta will have a different texture.
