• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pinch and Swirl
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Recipes » Desserts » Italian Desserts

    Chocolate Panna Cotta

    Published: May 29, 2020 · Modified: Jun 24, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 36 Comments

    Gluten FreeVegetarian

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    chocolate panna cotta served in a clear glass tumblers

    A dark chocolate twist on the original, Chocolate Panna Cotta is an impressive dessert that’s surprisingly simple to make.

    Chocolate Panna Cotta topped with whipped cream and served in glass tumblers

    If you've had room for dessert after a meal at your favorite Italian restaurant, you may have ordered panna cotta (meaning 'cooked cream' in Italian). Hailing from the Piedmont region of Italy, it is traditionally a creamy vanilla dessert that is molded and then plated. Chocolate Panna Cotta is as decadently creamy as the original, but embellished with rich, dark chocolate.

    Panna cotta is typically served as a molded dessert that requires you to dip ramekins in hot water before you invert each dessert over a serving plate with a hope and a prayer that they come out in one piece. I skip this process and serve it in small, clear glass tumblers instead. This way, it can be served straight from the refrigerator and looks just as pretty, especially when crowned with a dollop of whipped cream and a shower of chocolate shavings.

    That said, if you prefer the molded appearance, go for it! This panna cotta recipe will work well for that too. (See recipe notes for specific instructions.)

    Ingredients you need to make Chocolate Panna Cotta

    Chocolate Panna Cotta Ingredients on a white marble board

    Despite Chocolate Panna Cotta's elegant appearance, it's very easy to make. It's just a few simple ingredients and though it's custard creamy, you don't need eggs or a strainer to prepare it. In fact, you need no special equipment and it's likely that you have all of the ingredients on hand. You'll need heavy cream, half and half, powdered gelatin, sugar, vanilla extract, and of course the star of it all: high-quality dark chocolate. Missing something? Never fear, this Chocolate Panna Cotta recipe is amiable to substitutions.

    Simple Substitutions

    Want to lighten it up? Skip the heavy cream and use half and half, whole milk or a blend of the two. For a dairy free version, use coconut milk or nut milk instead. Not a fan of dark or bittersweet chocolate? Good quality semisweet chocolate or milk chocolate also work well. Don't be tempted to use chocolate chips though, they're made to hold their shape and you'll end up with gritty panna cotta.

    You'll need just 10 minutes of active time to prepare this, so it's a great make-ahead option for a dinner party or romantic date night in. You’ll need to refrigerate for at least 4 hours for it to set. So make it the morning of or, even better, the night before to free up more of your time the day of cooking the rest of your meal.

    Chocolate Panna Cotta is a dessert you can make in minutes that looks like it took hours to prepare. But that’s a secret you can keep to yourself.

    More Must Try Italian Recipes

    • Pasta Aglio e Olio
    • Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta
    • Rapini with Raisins and Hazelnuts
    • Lemon Garlic Pasta
    • Affogato (Another fabulous Italian dessert that's very easy to make!)

    How to Make Chocolate Panna Cotta

    Step 1: Sprinkle gelatin over cold half and half in a medium saucepan. Place pan over medium-low heat and whisk until gelatin has dissolved (do not boil), about 3 minutes.

    gelatin and half and half in saucepan

    Step 2: Whisk heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into half and half mixture. Increase heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is steaming hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and add chocolate; whisk until smooth.

    hot cream and sugar mixture
    whisking chocolate into hot cream mixture

    Step 3: Pour mixture into small glass tumblers or lightly oiled ramekins (if turning out onto dessert plates). Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

    pouring hot chocolate panna cotta into tumblers

    Step 4: Before serving, in a medium bowl, whip cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to medium-stiff peaks with a hand mixer on high. Top each dessert with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired. Serve.

    chocolate panna cotta ready to serve
    Chocolate Panna Cotta served in a glass tumbler

    Chocolate Panna Cotta

    Marissa Stevens
    A dark chocolate twist on the classic Italian dessert!
    5 from 14 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    4 hours to set up in refrigerator 4 hrs
    Total Time 4 hrs 20 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 people
    Calories 405 kcal

    Equipment

    • 8 4-ounce glass tumblers or ramekins

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cups half and half
    • 1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin about 1 tablespoon
    • 1 ½ cups heavy cream divided
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 5 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped, (recipe note #1)

    Whipped Cream for Serving

    • ½ cup heavy cream cold
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • chocolate shavings optional

    Instructions
     

    • Pour half and half into a medium saucepan off heat, sprinkle gelatin over and let stand 5 minutes. Set saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until gelatin dissolves, about 3 minutes (do not boil).
    • Increase heat to medium and add 1 cup of the heavy cream and sugar to sauce pan, continue whisking until sugar has dissolved and mixture is steaming hot, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat and add vanilla and chopped chocolate all at once; whisk until chocolate has melted and mixture is completely smooth.
    • Either transfer mixture to a glass measuring pitcher for easy pouring or carefully pour directly from the saucepan into glass tumblers or ramekins (see recipe note #2). Refrigerate until completely set, 4 hours or overnight. (Cover if refrigerating overnight)
    • Just before serving, add remaining ½ cup cold heavy cream, sugar and vanilla to a medium bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on high speed until medium stiff peaks form. (You can also do this by hand by vigorously whisking with a wire whisk.)
    • Top each serving of chocolate panna cotta with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle chocolate shavings over if desired. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    1. Use good quality bar chocolate for this recipe. Do not use chocolate chips, they are made to hold their shape and won't melt properly leaving you with gritty panna cotta. I used 70% dark chocolate, but you can use any good quality chocolate you like!
    2. If you prefer to turn these out onto serving plates, I recommend using 4 ounce / ½ cup ramekins instead of tumblers. Lightly oil the ramekins with a flavorless oil before pouring in warm chocolate panna cotta mixture. When the desserts are set and ready to serve, run a thin knife around the edge of ramekins. Dip each ramekin individually in a bowl of hot water for 5 seconds (taking care not to let any spill over into your panna cotta). Invert a small serving plate over the center of the ramekin. Hold plate and ramekin firmly and turn upside down (so the ramekin is on top). Wiggle the ramekin back and forth to release the panna cotta and lift the ramekin away. Repeat with remaining ramekins. Serve.
    3. For those outside the US who may not have half and half in your grocery stores, substitute with ½ heavy cream and ½ whole milk. So for this recipe with 1 ½ cups half and half, you would use ¾ each of heavy cream and whole milk.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 5gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 47mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1042IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword baby shower, creamy, date night, decadent, dinner party, easy, gluten free, kid friendly, Mother's Day
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Italian Desserts

    • Italian Wedding Cookies
    • Easy Affogato Recipe
    • Cranberry, White Chocolate & Pistachio Biscotti

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Doris Day says

      February 18, 2023 at 9:21 pm

      5 stars
      This was as luscious, rich, smooth and delicious as promised...and, so easy.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        February 19, 2023 at 10:13 am

        aww...I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Doris! Thank you for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    2. Cecilia says

      September 19, 2022 at 6:38 pm

      5 stars
      Hello!
      If using small mason jars is it ok to cover the jars with the lids while it’s refrigerating?
      Thank you and can’t wait to try out this recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        September 20, 2022 at 11:10 am

        Hi Cecilia! Small, lidded Mason jars will work well for this. To minimize condensation, I'd let them cool, uncovered, in the refrigerator for a few hours before screwing on the lids and letting them chill overnight (if you plan to make them a day ahead).

        Reply
    3. Paralea Boose says

      January 22, 2022 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      This is great! What do you do with the other half cup of heavy cream from the first part of the recipe? If that is for the whipped cream, then it is repeated making it look like you need a full 2 cups instead of 1.5 for this recipe. I've made it tho and it's fabulous!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 22, 2022 at 1:36 pm

        Hi Paralea! So glad you're enjoying the recipe. In the ingredient list there's a note about the 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream being divided. You use 1 cup in step 2 of the recipe and whip the remaining half cup in step 4 to top the panna cotta before serving.

        Reply
    4. Kelsie says

      November 25, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      I would love to give this recipe a crack! Sounds amazing!
      We don’t have half and half here in Oz, could I just use milk?

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        November 25, 2021 at 1:41 pm

        Hi there, Kelsie! Yes, you can make this with milk. It will still be creamy, but not as rich. You can also use a blend of cream and milk (50/50 to approximate the half and half available in the US) for a richer version.

        Reply
    5. Deborah says

      July 06, 2021 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      This sounds yummy I plan to make it tonight but I was hoping you could tell me what brand of dark chocolate bar that you used?

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        July 06, 2021 at 11:34 am

        Hi, Deborah! Sure. I used Theo brand 70% dark chocolate. Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. AutumnM says

      June 21, 2021 at 7:42 am

      5 stars
      This was delicious and so easy to make. I used a combination of 57% and 90% dark chocolate bars because that's what was in my pantry. I doubled the recipe thinking that a 4oz serving would be too small, but that serving size is just right given the richness of the dessert. My kids loved it with Biscoff cookies, which added a nice crunch. I'll be making this again soon!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        June 21, 2021 at 1:17 pm

        This is wonderful to hear, Autumn! Thank you for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    7. Sugardoll says

      November 25, 2020 at 5:21 pm

      5 stars
      My son has wanted me to make Chocolate Panna Cotta ever since he had it once at a restaurant. I've made vanilla Panna Cotta before, but never chocolate. I made this today, following the recipe to a letter, using Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate (55%). He's eating it now, and says it's delicious. I tasted it, and he's right - it's creamy, flavorful and the texture is perfect. I'll definitely make this again and next time I want to try an even darker chocolate. Thank you for a delicious recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        November 25, 2020 at 7:29 pm

        That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    8. Cara says

      July 14, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      I just discovered your blog and cannot wait to try your recipes! Starting with this Chocolate Panna Cotta. I only have whole milk on hand. Can I make the recipe with only whole milk?

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        July 15, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Welcome, Cara! Yes, absolutely. It won't be quite as rich and creamy with just whole milk, but will still be delicious.

        Reply
    9. Gail says

      June 23, 2020 at 5:09 pm

      5 stars
      Love vanilla with berries. This was easy and really tasty - even on its own. I may try an even darker chocolate next time ( I used Ghiradelli 60% bars ). Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        June 23, 2020 at 8:35 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed this, Gail! Thank you for coming back to let me know.

        Reply
    10. Ben | Havocinthekitchen says

      June 03, 2020 at 5:10 am

      5 stars
      I love shot-glass desserts - they're neat and elegant! I also love panna cotta (Haven't made it for a while though), but plain vanilla version is a little boring and bland to my liking. So this splendid chocolate variation is right up my alley!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        June 09, 2020 at 11:42 am

        I love to hear that, Ben! I hope you'll give it a try. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Valentina says

      June 01, 2020 at 10:34 pm

      5 stars
      Marissa, this is so luscious! This is my gluten-free son's favorite type of dessert. He will flip for it. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        June 09, 2020 at 11:42 am

        Yay!! Thank you, Valentina!

        Reply
    12. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      June 01, 2020 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      Ohhhhh-weeeee this looks delicious! Panna Cotta is so so so yummy, and this chocolate version is perfect for my chocoholic husband! I'm definitely making this sometime this week... because I'm pretty sure I can find 10 spare minutes of time! 🙂 Gotta love an easy, delicious AND beautiful dessert! Pinned!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        June 09, 2020 at 11:43 am

        woohoo! I hope he loves it, Cheyanne!

        Reply
        • Cheyanne says

          June 09, 2020 at 1:20 pm

          5 stars
          Made this over the weekend! SO simple to prepare! It got two VERY big thumbs up from the mister! (I unfortunately couldn't try it since I'm allergic to chocolate and boy-oh-boy was I sad!!)

          Reply
          • Marissa Stevens says

            June 10, 2020 at 7:53 am

            aww...I'm so happy your Mister enjoyed this, Cheyanne! And boo for chocolate allergies. xo

            Reply
    13. David @ Spiced says

      June 01, 2020 at 5:11 am

      5 stars
      Oh, I love panna cotta! (Truthfully, I love all Italian desserts.) However, I've never tried my hand at making homemade panna cotta. I need to make this ASAP! It looks amazing, Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        June 09, 2020 at 11:44 am

        Thanks, David! You won't believe how easy it is!

        Reply
    14. Sofia says

      May 31, 2020 at 12:38 am

      I like this recipe but I live in the UK and I’ve never heard of half and half . Could you tell me what it is and if there’s a UK equivalent ? Thanks I’m advance .

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        May 31, 2020 at 3:35 pm

        Hi there, Sofia! Yes, absolutely, and I'll make a note of it in the recipe. Half and Half is half whole milk and half whipping cream. So for this recipe with 1 1/2 cups half and half, you would use 3/4 each of heavy cream and whole milk.

        Reply
    15. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      May 30, 2020 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      Lucky me...I have all the ingredients on hand to make this!! Woo hoo! Love panna cotta, especially this chocolate version. So creamy dreamy delish, Marissa 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        May 31, 2020 at 3:27 pm

        Woohoo! I hope you love it, Dawn!

        Reply
    16. Alex says

      May 29, 2020 at 10:57 pm

      5 stars
      One of my favourite desserts for sure - it is so simple too! Delicious 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        May 31, 2020 at 3:28 pm

        Thanks, Alex! 🙂

        Reply
    17. angiesrecipes says

      May 29, 2020 at 6:06 am

      One of my favourite Italian classics! Yours looks so yummy and tempting.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        May 29, 2020 at 2:52 pm

        Thank you, Angie!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    The best food happens at home. I love delicious food prepared simply with fresh ingredients and that’s just what you’ll find here! You can count on me for well tested, mouthwatering recipes designed for home cooks. Learn more →

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    12 Recipes to Know by Heart Book Cover
    Subscribe for Free E-Cookbook

    Reader Favorites

    • Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
    • Lemon Garlic Pasta
    • Bacon Wrapped Scallops
    • Homemade Ramen Noodles
    • Homemade Tonic Water
    • Shrimp Tacos
    • Mashed Red Potatoes
    • Gyro Meat Recipe
    • Pork Belly Ramen
    • Grilled Lamb Chops

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Meet Marissa
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 PinchandSwirl

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Email