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Perfect for Spring
If you love carrot cake, this Carrot Cake Panna Cotta with Bourbon Butterscotch recipe is for you. It takes the amazing spiced flavors and adds them to that creamy, custardy bite.
Table of Contents
Addictingly Rich and Creamy
What is Carrot Cake Panna Cotta?
Panna cotta is an Italian dessert that gently cooks cream, sugar, and gelatin together, then chills it in the fridge till it sets. The results are addictingly rich and creamy. The classic panna cotta is topped with berries, but for this one I wanted to give it an American spin, and make it with the warm spice flavors of a carrot cake. It’s topped with a bourbon butterscotch and toasted pecans.
A Little Boozy
Adults-Only Dessert
A lot of boozy desserts are still fine for kids because the alcohol cooks off in the oven or on the stove. This one doesn’t. You add the bourbon at the end, so it doesn’t get hot enough to burn the alcohol off. So either keep this one to the adult table, or make a little extra without the bourbon.
Alcohol-Free: To make it alcohol-free, just don’t add the bourbon at the end.
Tips and Tricks
How to Bloom Gelatin
Use cold carrot juice. Sprinkle the gelatin over cold carrot juice, never warm. Warm liquid causes clumps.
Don’t dump, sprinkle. Evenly scatter it across the surface. If you dump it in, the granules start to hydrate on the outside with the dry gelatin still in the middle.
Don’t stir it. Let is sit for about ten minutes, undisturbed.
Stir, stir, stir. Add the bloomed gelatin into the steamed base, and then stir. Stir it until you can’t feel any grit on the back of the spoon. Always keep it under a simmer, not a boil.
Use a strainer. Don’t forget to use a fine mesh strainer when adding it to the cream cheese mixture.
More Panna Cotta Recipes
Berry Panna Cotta is a creamy mascarpone base with berries macerated in Grand Marnier. This one is a little boozy and tangy on top of the sweet cream.
Espresso Eggnog Panna Cotta is a holiday dessert, great for Christmas. It layers spiced eggnog and espresso stacked under a boozy espresso caramel. Make it ahead for the adult table.
Passion Fruit Panna Cotta is a silky mascarpone panna cotta with a passion fruit caramel and fresh pulp on top.
Pumpkin Panna Cotta is a spiced pumpkin panna cotta set right inside hollowed mini pumpkins, then brûléed for a crackly sugar top.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes of course! Just make sure it isn’t sweetened.
A grainy texture happens with the gelatin doesn’t fully dissolve. Make sure you sprinkle it evenly over the carrot juice, don’t dump it in one spot. When adding it to the warm base, keep stirring until you can’t feel any grit on the spoon, and strain everything through a fine mesh strainer before it goes into the cups.
It is almost always the base got too hot or you used too much gelatin. Also make sure you are giving it the full 6 hours to set.
Equipment
- microplane or fine grater
- small bowl
- medium pot
- whisk
- fine mesh strainer
- Large mixing bowl
- 8 single-serve cups or ramekins
- paper towels
- small saucepan
Ingredients
Carrot Panna Cotta
- 1 1/2 cups carrot juice, fresh squeezed (if store bought, unsweetened)
- 2 envelopes gelatin
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 orange, zest only
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- toasted pecans, to taste
Bourbon Butterscotch
- 5 tbsp brown butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp agave syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 oz bourbon
Instructions
- Bloom the Gelatin: Add the carrot juice to a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let bloom for 10 minutes.1 1/2 cups carrot juice, 2 envelopes gelatin
- Heat the Base: Add the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, condensed milk, salt, brown sugar, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and orange zest to a pot. Heat until hot, without boiling.3 cups heavy cream, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 pinch salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ginger, 1 1/2 cinnamon sticks, 1 orange
- Add the Gelatin: Whisk the bloomed gelatin into the steaming mixture until fully dissolved. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
- Combine with Cream Cheese: Add the cream cheese and sour cream to a large bowl and whisk to loosen. Strain in about 1/3 cup of the carrot cream mixture and whisk until incorporated. Strain in the remaining mixture a bit at a time, whisking until smooth.8 oz cream cheese, 2 tbsp sour cream
- Set: Lightly grease 8 disposable plastic cups with a neutral oil on a paper towel. Divide the mixture into 8 single-serve cups. Refrigerate 6 hours to overnight, until set.
- Make the Butterscotch: Add the brown butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, agave, cinnamon, and salt to a saucepan and mix. Bring to a simmer and cook on low for about 12 minutes, until no graininess remains. Turn off the heat, add the bourbon, and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes. Cool completely.5 tbsp brown butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2/3 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp agave syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 pinch salt, 3/4 oz bourbon
- Assemble: Flip each cup onto a serving plate and tap out the carrot panna cotta. Top with bourbon butterscotch and toasted pecans.toasted pecans
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Condensed milk or SWEETENED condensed milk?
Hey Sam,
So condensed milk actually is the same as sweetened condensed milk. The unsweetened version is called evaporated milk. So this recipe does use condensed milk aka sweetened condensed milk. Hope that helps.