Panna Cotta with Strawberries & Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

Panna cotta with strawberries is our favorite early summer dessert. With a touch of Saba and a few drops of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar from La Ca Dal Non, this is a treat worthy of a five-star restaurant. Together, strawberries, balsamic, and cream are just that good! You can make the panna cotta itself up to three days in advance, keeping it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. We don’t bother with fancy molding and unmolding here. Instead, we divide the mixture between glasses and let people scoop it out with a spoon. Use whatever vessels you have on hand: wine glasses, cocktail coupes, or even coffee cups all work great.

We adapted this recipe from David Lebovitz, who in turn adapted it from Judy Witts Francini.

Ingredients

TIME: 20 minutes + chilling time
SERVES: 6

• Heavy cream, 1L / 4 cups
• Sugar, 100g / ½ cup
• Vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons (or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise)
• Powdered gelatin, 2 packets (7g)
• Cold water, 6 tablespoons
• Strawberries, about 400g / 1 pint
• Saba, 2 Tbsp
• Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale from Modena, as much as you’d like

Preparation

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. (If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean, then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized pitcher and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Pour the very warm cream over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
4. Divide the Panna Cotta mixture between the vessels of your choice. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to three days, until firm.
5. Anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours before dessert, cut the strawberries into bite-sized pieces and put them in a medium bowl. Drizzle the saba over them and stir. Then cover and set aside until you’re ready to serve. The longer they sit, the more syrupy they’ll become.
6. At dessert time, take the panna cotta out of the refrigerator and spoon the saba-macerated strawberries over each one.
7. At the table, in front of your guests, take your precious bottle of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and drizzle a few drops on top of each portion, reserving a few extra drops for your favorite guest.