Keto Panna Cotta

For this recipe, you don’t need to buy special molds. You can easily use ramekins or small dishes which you already have in the house. If you have ones which are of the same size, they would make a nicer presentation. A silicon lined muffin tin can also be used, but the structure might be a bit different, so if you are serving it to guests, you might want to try using ramekins. For serving, you can either leave the panna cotta portions in the ramekins or un-mold them onto a plate, whichever you prefer the look of. This is the ideal dessert to serve as it is pre-portioned and ready to serve.

Panna cotta sounds like a very high class dessert, but in reality, you can easily do it at home as a dessert for yourself or for your family to have as a sweet treat after dinner. This keto panna cotta can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. It is not suitable for freezing as it does not maintain its creamy and smooth texture, so it would be better to make a smaller batch each time.

What is Panna Cotta?

Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert, made with a combination of milk and cream and thickened with gelatin. Panna cotta literally translates to ‘cooked cream’. Like most Italian food, panna cotta is a simple, yet elegant dessert made with a few ingredients. It is easy to make and easy to modify according to different dietary restrictions!

Panna cotta is commonly known for its rich and silky texture. The most common flavor of panna cotta is vanilla. However, the flavors can vary according to your preference. This dessert is thick, creamy and smooth. It is an incredible dessert to have when you want something a bit sweet but not too overpowering. For this recipe, we make a raspberry orange basil topping, but you can use anything which is in season and which is low in carbs, if you want to make it keto friendly! Most traditional panna cotta recipes are not keto friendly as they contain sugar. However, for this recipe, we don’t use any sugar and thus, keeping it low in carbs – including the raspberry orange basil topping!

Keto Gelatin

For the panna cotta, gelatin is required to thicken the dessert. To make this panna cotta keto friendly, you will need to use unflavored gelatin. We recommend using grass fed powdered gelatin. Most flavored jello will contain excess sugars which make it high in carbs, and thus, not keto friendly. Be careful not to add too much gelatin as it can make it too firm. We want the gelatin to make the panna cotta thick, yet still wobbly and soft in texture.

Low Carb Yogurt

Most yogurts found in supermarkets are full of sugar, which is why they taste so sweet. In order to make this recipe keto friendly, you would need to find a low carb yogurt brand. You can either use plain, unflavored or vanilla yogurt. One brand that we like to use is called Two Good. Their yogurt is 2 grams carbs per serving, which is within the carb limit of a Keto diet. If you are unable to find a low carb yogurt, simply use a plain yogurt or greek yogurt that is low in carbs. Make sure to check the carbs on the nutrition label before purchasing!

Raspberry Orange Basil Syrup

This is a great syrup to use if you want to impress your guests with a new and not typically used flavor. All three flavors compliment each other very well. The basil gives it a refreshing taste, while the raspberry and orange give it the perfect amount of fruitiness the panna cotta needs. Since the panna cotta itself has quite a simple flavor, these flavors together won’t be overwhelming, but rather, just right.