This Baileys panna cotta is creamy, rich yet light and so delicious. So smooth, so simple to make and you can prep it ahead of time making it not only outrageously yum but also perfect for entertaining. Save this one for the adults though as that alcohol isn’t cooked out.
Taking just 10 minutes to make, this creamy, boozy panna cotta is a delightful Italian dessert with an Irish twist – a good kick of Baileys Irish Cream.
If you love panna cotta as much as I do, try this classic vanilla panna cotta (with orange syrup), a tropical passionfruit panna cotta or this slightly tangy buttermilk panna cotta. There are so many more here too – just search panna cotta in the search bar.
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Ingredients & substitutions
As a general rule, panna cotta is so simple and with just 5 ingredients, this Baileys panna cotta is no different. It’s a no bake dessert recipe perfect for sharing with your loved ones as a weekend treat or for a celebration like Mothers Day, St Patricks Day, Valentine’s Day or the festive season.
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
- Baileys Irish Cream liqueur – the star of the show! You can use any brand of Irish cream liqueur in it’s place and you can use any flavour of Baileys Irish Cream too!
- Cream: You want pouring cream, thickened cream or heavy cream depending on what it’s called where you are. Not double cream.
- Milk: Use whole milk as sometimes (not always) lighter versions like hilo or 2% can split in a panna cotta. It will still taste fine but just looks a bit weird.
- Sugar: Just caster sugar (superfine sugar) or white granulated sugar is fine. You can use brown sugar though it takes longer to dissolve so you’ll need to be very careful not to overheat the mixture.
- Powdered gelatine: Gelatin powder is what makes the panna cotta set and have that classic wobble. I don’t use leaves of gelatine so I can’t tell you what grade or how many you will require.
Feel free to add a little vanilla extract (just 1 teaspoon is enough).
How to make Baileys panna cotta
All you need is 10 minutes to make this boozy panna cotta. Ten minutes, one pan and some glasses, ramekins or dariole moulds. The other great thing about panna cotta is that you can make it ahead of time (even 2-3 days ahead) so if you’re having a party or gathering of any kind, it’s the most perfect dessert.
Jump to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Bloom and dissolve the gelatine
Blooming gelatine really just means to soften it in liquid. For this Baileys panna cotta, start by sprinkling the gelatine powder over some milk in a saucepan and let it sit for a few minutes to soften. Now, just turn the heat on low and stir (preferably using a rubber spatula) to dissolve it into the milk. Use a rubber or silicone spatula helps because you can press the gelatine against the base and sides of the pan.
Don’t let it start to boil or even steam. It doesn’t need to get too hot.
2. Add the sugar
Now, add the sugar to the sauce pan and dissolve that in as well. Again, don’t let it boil.
3. Combine everything
Add the cream and Baileys to a pouring jug and make sure there are no lumps of cream in there.
Add the milk and gelatine mixture and stir to combine.
4. Set
Pour the panna cotta cream mixture into your moulds or glasses and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t boil the gelatine mixture: You don’t even want it to come to a simmer or steam. Overheating gelatine can alter it’s properties and stop it from working properly.
- Which moulds to use: You can use anything to set a panna cotta in. If you don’t want to turn it out onto plate you don’t have to. You can use some pretty glasses, ramekins or dariole moulds. Or just set it in a pie dish and serve it using a spoon (or leave your guests to scoop their own).
- Use a baking tray for easy moving: Place the glasses or ramekins into a baking pan or dish then cover with plastic wrap. It makes them easy to move around, especially when they’re still in their liquid state.
Different ways to serve panna cotta
There’s something so special about turning a panna cotta out onto a plate and being able to see that classic wobble but you don’t have to do that. They can be just as special served in a special glass (maybe a coffee glass or a wine glass), or even served family style (set in one large bowl that everyone can scoop from). Panna cotta can even be set inside a tart shell!
For this Irish Cream panna cotta, I added an almond praline (studded with ground coffee beans). You don’t need to add any garnishes or sides to your panna cotta though. However, a little shaved chocolate would be lovely – just run a vegetable peeler down the side of a block of dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate (or a combination of all three).
Storage
Store your Baileys panna cotta in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap (or in an airtight container if you have one deep enough) for up to 3 days (as long as your cream and milk are at least 3 days within the use by date).
It’s best not to freeze panna cotta as the texture can change substantially upon thawing.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk (250ml)
- 3 teaspoons powdered gelatine
- ⅓ cup caster sugar (or white granulated sugar) (66g / 2 ¼oz)
- 1 cup thickened cream (heavy cream) (250ml)
- ½ cup baileys Irish cream (125ml)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- pouring jug
- Glasses, ramekins or dariole moulds
Instructions
- If you want to turn your panna cottas out onto plates to serve, start by very lightly greasing glasses or ramekins with a little oil. Don’t leave enough oil to pool though.
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan, then sprinkle the gelatine powder in an even layer over the top. Let it sit for 3 minutes to soften.
- Turn the heat on low and stir using a rubber spatula to dissolve the gelatine. Don’t let this mixture boil, it shouldn’t even need to steam but keep stirring and using the spatula to press the gelatine against the pan until it’s all dissolved and smooth.
- Add the sugar and continue stirring until dissolve. Again, don’t let it get too hot.
- Combine the cream and Baileys Irish Cream in a large jug, stirring out any lumps of cream. Add the milk and gelatine mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the panna cotta mixture into your glasses or ramekins and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Serve them in the ramekins or turn out onto plates. If you’d like to turn them out, sit the ramekins in a dish of hot water for a minute, then use your finger to press against the top edge of the panna cotta to release the vacuum seal. Upend onto a plate and jiggle it a little to release it. If you notice any of the panna cotta has stuck inside the mould, you just need to leave the next one in the hot water a little longer. If there is a lot of liquid mixture running down the sides of the panna cotta, it was in the hot water just a little too long.
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Notes
- For the coffee almond praline on the side, make ½ a batch of almond praline with 3 teaspoons of ground coffee beans added.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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