A lime panna cotta topped with strawberries on a dark blue plate, gold spoons and limes around it, from above

Desserts

Lime Panna Cotta with Strawberries

The perfect no-bake summer dessert, a combination of zingy lime with a flavour burst of strawberries.

A lime panna cotta topped with strawberries beside a gold spoon and a navy cloth A lime panna cotta with strawberries on a dark blue plate with gold spoons, from above

This is a perfect summer dessert, both in terms of flavours but also the fact that it does not require you to slave over a hot oven.

I am making it for Christmas this year, as I have a single oven which will mostly be occupied with a roast lamb leg. Not needing to rush to get a cake in there definitely helps! It is also a great make-ahead dessert, so it lets me focus on the main course on the day. All you need to do is chop up the strawberries just before your guests arrive and let it macerate for a while.

Let's talk about the panna cotta itself. This one is made with a much higher ratio of milk to cream, which means you get more of a wobble, but it still sets quite well. The lime in the recipe is subtle, but adds a nice bit of sharp flavour to an otherwise smooth and silky dessert. The fresh strawberries help to balance out the sweetness and add a nice fresh contrast to the creamy texture of the panna cotta.

I adapted this recipe from Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh.

A gold spoon lifting a bite of lime panna cotta Close-up of a lime panna cotta under its strawberries, from the side

The recipe

Lime Panna Cotta with Strawberries

adventureswithsugar.com/lime-panna-cotta-with-strawberries/

Method

Method: lime panna cotta

  1. Soak the gelatine: Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl, cover generously with cold water and leave to soak.
  2. Heat the milk and cream: Combine the milk, cream, lime peel and sugar in a medium pot and place over a low heat.
  3. Boil and infuse: Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat to medium-high heat. As soon as it comes up to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and let the lime peel infuse for an hour.
  4. Add the gelatine: Remove the gelatine from the water and squeeze out the excess water. Add the gelatine into the milk. Set aside to cool until tepid.
  5. Add the yoghurt and lime juice: Place the yogurt into a bowl and strain in the milk mixture, followed by the lime juice and mix.
  6. Fill the moulds and set: Grease six moulds with the baking spray and pour the mixture into the moulds. Cover with cling wrap and leave in the fridge overnight to set.

Method: macerated strawberries

  1. Macerate the strawberries: Roughly chop the strawberries, an hour or so before serving. Sprinkle over the icing sugar and lime zest, stirring to combine.
  2. Turn out the panna cottas: To unmould the panna cottas, dip the mould in lukewarm water for a few seconds, place a plate on top of the mould and then flip the plate over. The panna cotta should easily release.
  3. Serve: Spoon the strawberries over the panna cotta and serve.

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