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A Boozy Holiday Dessert
It’s no secret that I love to make panna cotta whenever I’m having company, and this layered espresso eggnog panna cotta is so festive for the holidays! This dessert is so creamy with warm holiday spices in every bite. You can make it way ahead which is perfect for those busy hosting days.
Table of Contents
What is Espresso Eggnog Panna Cotta?
Panna cotta is an Italian dessert that means “cooked cream.” It is just cream and sugar lightly warmed with a little gelatin, then chilled until it holds its shape. The end result is so creamy it almost melts in your mouth. Fresh Berry Panna Cotta is more traditional, but I love to have fun with the flavors. This one is flavored for the holidays with eggnog, espresso, and caramel.
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. The espresso layer never gets hot enough or cooks long enough to burn any of it off, so the vodka and coffee liqueur stay in the finished dessert. So keep this one to the adult table.
Alcohol-Free: To make it alcohol-free, leave the vodka and coffee liqueur out of the espresso layer and add 4 tablespoons of espresso in their place. Keep everything else the same, including the gelatin.
Tips and Tricks
How to Bloom Gelatin for Panna Cotta
Don’t let the gelatin scare you off. It’s the part everyone gets nervous they’ll mess up, but it’s honestly the easiest step in the whole recipe. Here are some tips to make sure you get it right.
Gelatin Measurements: One envelope of powdered gelatin contains about 2 1/2 teaspoons.
Use a Wide Bowl: The more surface area you have to spread the gelatin out on, the better. So grab a wide, shallow bowl.
Start with Cold Liquid: Gelatin hydrates immediately in warm water and that traps dry powder inside clumps that won’t dissolve. That is why using cold water is so important when you are blooming your gelatin.
Don’t Just Dump It: Sprinkle it on top, don’t just dump it in a pile. A heap of gelatin will also cause a clump to form, trapping dry gelatin inside. Sprinkling it out along the surface helps make sure that each has a chance to hydrate.
Don’t Stir It: Once you have it sprinkled in the water, leave it alone. You don’t want to mix it in. Just let it do its thing.
Slowly Add It to the Warm Liquid: Once it is fully bloomed, you want to slowly add it to the warm liquid, stirring constantly to make sure it fully dissolves. You never want to bring gelatin to a boil, this can ruin it. Make sure the granules are melted completely by looking at the back of your spoon to see if any undissolved granules are clinging to it.
Make-Ahead
Panna cotta has to be made-ahead, which makes this such a great dessert for company. It needs at least 6 hours in the fridge to set. You can make it up to 3 days in advance. Just keep it covered in the fridge. It does continue to set and gets a little firmer each day, so it’s best on day one or two. Don’t freeze it.
More Panna Cotta Recipes
Berry Panna Cotta is a creamy mascarpone base topped with berries macerated in Grand Marnier, so it comes out a little boozy and tangy against the sweet cream.
Passion Fruit Panna Cotta is a silky mascarpone panna cotta finished with a tart passion fruit caramel and fresh pulp on top.
Carrot Panna Cotta turns carrot cake into a spiced cream cheese panna cotta, with a bourbon butterscotch and toasted pecans over the top.
Pumpkin Panna Cotta is a spiced pumpkin and skyr panna cotta set right inside hollowed mini pumpkins, then brûléed for a crackly sugar top.
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Key Takeaways
- Adults Only: The alcohol doesn’t cook out, so this one is for the adult table. Leave out the vodka and coffee liqueur and add 4 tablespoons of espresso to make it kid-friendly.
- Gelatin Tips: Bloom the gelatin in cold liquid, sprinkled not dumped, then dissolve it fully over low heat and never boil it.
- Make Ahead: It needs at least 6 hours to set and keeps up to 3 days covered in the fridge. Don’t freeze it.
- If Something Goes Wrong: Didn’t set or came out grainy means the gelatin wasn’t fully dissolved. Rubbery means too much gelatin.
Frequently Asked Questions
The gelatin didn’t fully dissolve. Undissolved grains sink and get left behind, and there’s nothing to set the mixture without them. Stir over low heat until every grain is gone before you pour. Don’t boil it either. Boiling weakens gelatin. And give it the full 6 hours.
Undissolved gelatin again, or a base that got too hot. Dissolve it fully over low heat and check the back of your spoon for grains before you pour. Strain the mixture to catch anything you missed.
Rubbery means too much gelatin. If you added the optional extra for a firmer set, leave it out next time.
Yes. Swap the vodka and coffee liqueur for the same amount of espresso.
Equipment
- 2 wide bowls, for blooming gelatin
- medium saucepan
- small saucepan
- fine mesh strainer
- paper towels
- whisk
- 8 disposable plastic cups, 9 oz
Ingredients
Eggnog Layer
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla spice eggnog
- 2 envelopes gelatin powder, add 1/4 envelope if you want a firmer set
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
Espresso Martini Layer
- 2 cups espresso
- 1 1/4 envelope gelatin powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp coffee liqueur
- 2 tbsp vodka
Espresso Martini Caramel
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup espresso
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp vodka
- 1 tbsp coffee liqueur
Instructions
Eggnog Base
- Bloom the Eggnog Gelatin: Add the eggnog to a wide, shallow bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let hydrate for 10 minutes.1 1/2 cups vanilla spice eggnog, 2 envelopes gelatin powder
- Heat the Base: Combine the heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Warm until steaming with small bubbles at the rim, about 5 minutes. Do not boil, you want this to be warm, not hot.3 cups heavy whipping cream, 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 1 pinch salt
- Finish the Base: Lower the heat. Add the bloomed eggnog and the sour cream and stir until the gelatin fully dissolves. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.1/4 cup Sour Cream
Espresso Base
- Bloom the Espresso Gelatin: Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup of the espresso in a bowl and let bloom 10 minutes.½ cups espresso, 1 1/4 envelope gelatin powder
- Heat the Espresso Base: Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups espresso, sugar, heavy whipping cream, coffee liqueur, and vodka in a saucepan over medium heat. Warm just until the sugar dissolves, without letting it simmer. Stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.1 ½ cups espresso, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tbsp coffee liqueur, 2 tbsp vodka
Espresso Eggnog Panna Cotta
- Grease and Fill: Add a small amount of a neutral oil to a paper towel and lightly grease each plastic cup. Divide the eggnog base into 3 portions and the espresso base into 2. Pour a first eggnog layer, about one-fifth of each cup. Freeze 15 minutes, then refrigerate 15 minutes, until the surface is set enough to hold the next layer.
- Hold the Bases: Keep both bases at room temperature while you layer. If either starts to thicken, warm it gently until pourable again. Do not refrigerate the reserves or they will set.
- Build the Layers: Add an espresso layer and set it, then a second eggnog layer and set it, then a second espresso layer and set it, then a final eggnog layer. Freeze 15 minutes and refrigerate 15 minutes between each. You will have five layers: eggnog, espresso, eggnog, espresso, eggnog.
- Chill: Cover the tops of the plastic cups with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, until fully set.
Caramel
- Warm the Liquids: Combine the heavy whipping cream and espresso in a small saucepan and heat until hot but not boiling. Keep next to the stove.1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup espresso
- Caramelize the Sugar: Add the sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan in an even layer over medium heat. Let it melt without stirring, swirling occasionally, until fully melted and deep amber, about 350°F (175°C).1 cup sugar
- Add the Liquids: Take off the heat an slowly pour in the warm cream and espresso into the caramelized sugar, whisking constantly. Whisk until smooth.
- Finish the Caramel: Whisk in the butter. Return to a low heat and simmer, whisking, until it coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vodka and coffee liqueur. Let cool.4 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp vodka, 1 tbsp coffee liqueur
Serve
- Unmold and Serve: Once fully set and ready to serve, turn the cups over onto the serving plate. Tap the top and lightly squeeze the sides until the panna cotta drops out. Top with the caramel and serve.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
