You’ll love this rich, creamy chocolate panna cotta. A classic Italian dessert, panna cotta is simply simmered cream and sugar with a bit of gelatin to set it. It’s easy to customize—add flavors or toppings as you like. For this version I paired the chocolate with a port wine pomegranate sauce to cut through the richness and add a bright, slightly tart fruit note.
Chocolate Panna Cotta w Port Wine Pomegranate
Because many of us are deep in holiday bustle, this recipe leans into “easy elegance.” It’s nearly a one-pot dessert: besides the saucepan, you only need a bowl of water to soften the gelatin. For an elegant presentation, serve the panna cotta in stemmed glasses rather than unmolding it from ramekins.
If you haven’t worked with gelatin before, it’s straightforward—especially if you use powdered gelatin instead of sheets. If you’ve ever made Jell-O, you’ve used gelatin. The key steps are letting it soften (often called “bloom”) and controlling temperature: too hot and the gelatin can break down; not warm enough and it won’t dissolve and set. Also important—using too much gelatin yields a rubbery texture.
See? Easy. Time to get started.
Chocolate Panna Cotta with a Port Wine Pomegranate Sauce
Makes a total of 20 oz. about 5 servings
Ingredients
Chocolate Panna Cotta
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 envelope plain gelatin (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon Hershey Special Dark Cocoa Powder
- 3 oz. dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Port Wine Pomegranate Sauce
- 1 cup port wine
- 1/2 cup Pom pomegranate juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- optional: 1/4 – 1 teaspoon sugar to adjust sweetness to taste
Instructions
To make chocolate panna cotta
- Pour 1/2 cup milk into a bowl and evenly sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Set aside for two minutes to bloom.
- In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sugar, and cocoa powder and bring to a simmer—look for small bubbles around the edge. Remove from heat, add the chopped dark chocolate, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, stirring until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Add the bloomed gelatin to the warm chocolate mixture and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved and the mixture feels smooth between your fingers.
- Pour into stemmed glasses or ramekins. Chill for at least 2 hours, or loosely cover and refrigerate overnight.
To make port wine pomegranate sauce
- Combine port wine, pomegranate juice, and honey in a small pan. Simmer, stirring, until the liquid reduces by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add up to 1/4 teaspoon sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
- Drizzle the sauce over the set panna cotta just before serving.
Notes
A few notes:
- For even gelatin softening, use a shallow bowl so you can sprinkle the gelatin in a thin, even layer across the milk surface.
- To speed chilling, refrigerate serving glasses or ramekins before pouring in the panna cotta mixture.
- The panna cotta can be made up to two days ahead; keep covered and refrigerated.