Hey Everyone! It’s Dini from The Flavor Bender again! I hope you guys have had an amazing February so far and a very romantic Valentine’s Day weekend as well. I’m not too big on Valentine’s day, but any excuse for chocolate is a good one for me and that’s exactly what I did these last couple of weeks with this Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding, Rosemary infused French Chocolate Mousse and these Chocolate Eclairs! 🙂 Today, I’m sharing another one of my favorite desserts coming your way from Italy – Layered Butterscotch and Chocolate Panna Cotta! With a beautiful, buttery butterscotch layer and a deliciously creamy chocolate layer, this panna cotta is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a fancy dinner party or just a family gathering.

Butterscotch and Chocolate Panna Cotta: An easy to make layered Panna Cotta dessert, perfect as an everyday dessert or for a special occasion!

I do have a soft spot for panna cotta because they are a simple yet very impressive dessert to put together and can be personalized with different flavours and ingredients. Check out this White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Hibiscus syrup and this Coconut and, Lychee and Orange jelly that I have shared on my blog previously. But this Layered Butterscotch and Chocolate Panna Cotta is divine!

The base in this Layered Butterscotch and Chocolate Panna Cotta (the butterscotch base) is divided into two, and then chocolate is added to one and then butter with an extra bit of brown sugar are added to the other. Then you let the panna cotta set in a glass or a mold, and then either serve it in the same glass or unmold in onto a separate dish.

It’s super simple. This Layered Butterscotch and Chocolate Panna Cotta recipe will make 2 very generous portions or 4 smaller dessert portions.

Butterscotch and Chocolate Panna Cotta

Dini

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Servings larger / 4 mini portions

Ingredients

220 mL / 1 cup whipping cream
150 mL / 5 fl oz half and half
3 tbsp cold water
1 ¼ tsp powdered gelatin
115 g / 4 oz brown sugar plus 1 tbsp brown sugar
42 g / 1.5 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped
2 tbsp half and half
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt

Instructions

Add the cold water to a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin evenly on top. Leave it to bloom (about 15 minutes).
Lightly coat your molds with some vegetable oil. Use either two large 1 cup capacity glasses, or four ½ cup capacity molds.
Combine the cream, half and half, a generous pinch of salt and 4 oz of brown sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium heat while stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Add the bloomed gelatin into the warm milk mix and stir until the gelatin has melted. DO NOT BOIL. Divide this cream-gelatin mix into two and set aside.
Place the butter in the empty saucepan and heat until melted. You could heat it further to turn it into brown butter if you like. Add the extra brown sugar, plus one portion of the cream-gelatin mix. Remove from the heat and whisk to combine. (You don’t want the oil in the butter to be floating on top. If this happens - whisk vigorously OR place the mix in an empty bottle with a secure lid and shake it well to emulsify the mix).
Divide this butterscotch layer into the prepared molds. Place them in the freezer for about 40 minutes, or until the surface has just set.
Combine the chopped chocolate with the 2 tbsp of cream in the saucepan and melt the chocolate over medium heat to get a smooth sauce.
Add the second portion of the cream-gelatin mix in a stream while whisking, to completely incorporate the cream-gelatin mix into the chocolate. Do not boil. Set aside to cool down.
When the butterscotch layer has just set, gently pour the warm chocolate layer on top. Divide evenly between the molds. (Adding warm chocolate will help it stick to the butterscotch layer at the bottom so that they will not separate when you unmold the panna cotta).
Let it cool down to room temperature. Then cover and let it set in the fridge overnight till completely set and chilled.
To unmold, place the glass or mold in hot water for a few seconds, OR under running water for a few seconds. Then hold it over a dish and gently shake to loosen it. If it’s doesn’t come out, wrap the glass or mold with a warm paper towel to warm up the panna cotta.
Serve with whipped cream and berries.