Strawberry season is here! And I am celebrating with this light, creamy, and beautiful dessert: Dairy Free Strawberry Panna Cotta.
Nothing makes me happier than a basket of sweet strawberries on a warm sunny day. We are blessed to live in Northern California where we get some of the best, organic strawberries in the world.
I grew up in Finland where the growing season is very short. But the berries in Finland in the summer are like nothing you have ever tasted. I grew up eating fresh strawberries and blueberries picked from the forest. My grandmother grew the biggest raspberries in her back yard. I can still remember placing them on the fingers of both hands before eating them.
Now that I am a mama, I get to relive the joys of summer berries with my Little One. And that means a weekly run to our local organic berry farm where we get the sweetest, most beautiful strawberries. We are still waiting for the strawberries in our backyard to start producing.
And what goes better with strawberries than a little sweet cream? Here’s my ode to the sweet summer strawberry: Dairy Free Strawberry Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta literally means cooked cream in Italian. There are many ways to make it, but the easiest way I have found is to simply heat some creamy coconut milk , adding some gelatin and sweetener, and letting it cool until set.
I’ve shared my recipe for Lemon Panna Cotta before. It’s definitely a family favorite. Strawberry Panna Cotta is a bit easier as I don’t even bother trying to slide the panna cotta out of the custard cup and onto a plate. I like the layered look of the jam and the creamy filling in the glass cup.
Panna cotta is a nice change from overly sweet desserts. This light and delicate treat is perfect for your summer gatherings. It’s creamy and delicious, and you get a wonderful strawberry chia jam surprise when you dig in with your spoon.
PrintStrawberry Panna Cotta (dairy free)
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
FOR STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM
- 1/2 pint of fresh strawberries fresh strawberries, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1–2 tbsp maple syrup
- a pinch of sea salt
- 1 tbsp of chia seeds (I use THIS brand)
FOR PANNA COTTA:
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 and 1/2 tsp grass fed gelatin (I use THIS grass fed brand)
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (I use THIS BPA-free brand)
- 2 TBS maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- extra strawberries for garnish
Instructions
FOR STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM:
- Combine strawberries, maple syrup and salt in a small saucepan and set over medium heat.
- Once the strawberries begin to “sweat” and give off some liquid, add the chia seeds.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down to low. Allow to simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of jam into your 4 small glass containers and allow to cool for 10 minutes then place in the fridge to cool completely.
FOR PANNA COTTA:
- Pour 2 tablespoons of water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow to bloom for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gently heat coconut milk in a small pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the coconut milk is steaming hot (but not boiling), remove from heat and add gelatin/water mixture.
- Whisk until gelatin is completely dissolved. Whisk in sweetener of choice and vanilla.
- Remove strawberry-filled cups from fridge and divide coconut mixture evenly among the 4 containers.
- Place into fridge to set- for at least 4 hours.
- Remove from fridge and garnish with fresh strawberries. Enjoy!
Notes
You will end up with more Strawberry Chia Jam than you need for this recipe. Feel free to serve the leftovers on top of the panna cotta.
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Bethany says
Super delicious! Thanks for the recipe.