Different dairies and different parts of the country label cream differently. For this recipe you want heavy cream without any sweeteners or thickeners in it.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups cream
- 10 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 package (1/2 oz.) gelatin
- 1 vanilla pod or 2 tsp. high-quality vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preparation:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream and sugar to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Meanwhile, split vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape seeds out, and add them and the pod to cream mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally until flavors blend, about 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl or 4-cup measuring cup, dissolve gelatin in 2 Tbsp. cold water. Let sit 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove and discard pod from cream mixture and add to gelatin. Stir to combine thoroughly and add buttermilk.
- Divide mixture evenly between 8 small ramekins (8-oz. each). Put ramekins on a baking sheet for easy transfer and chill until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- To serve, unmold desserts by dipping ramekins into a bowl of very hot water and inverting panna cottas onto plates. You may need to slip the point of a sharp knife along the side to loosen the edge and allow the mixture to release from the ramekin.
Makes 8 servings.

