A delicate, creamy Panna Cotta flavored with saffron and cardamom and served with a rose jelly. It’s the perfect Indian twist on a classic Italian dessert!

A panna cotta is an Italian dessert made of cream that’s been set so it becomes a soft, jiggly, and velvety dessert that just melts in your mouth. This version adds an Indian twist, bringing a new a life to this beloved dish.

With a few simple, yet flavorful ingredients, this panna cotta is a super simple dessert that is sure to turn heads. Try this vegetarian panna cotta made with agar agar today and savor the delicious harmony of cardamom, saffron, and rose!

HOW TO MAKE SAFFRON PANNA COTTA WITH ROSE JELLY:

1. Prepare the Base! In a medium saucepan, add in the milk, heavy cream, saffron, sugar, and cardamom. Warm this mixture on low to medium heat until you see small bubbles forming on the edges. Take it off the heat and cool for 10 minutes to let the cardamom and saffron flavors to steep.
   

   

   
2. Bloom the Agar Agar! While the mixture is steeping, mix the agar agar in the water and let it bloom for 5 minutes. When the mixture is cool and the agar agar has bloomed, add the agar agar into the mixture and stir till well combined. Warm on medium heat until you see small bubbles forming on the edges. Make sure to mix well to prevent the agar agar from clumping or sticking.
   

   

   
3. Set the Panna Cotta! Strain the mixture and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, pour the mixture into your silicone molds or serving glasses and chill in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours.
   

   

   
4. Make the Jelly! Make sure you only start making the rose jelly once your panna cotta has set. To make the rose jelly, mix together the agar agar and 1 tbsp water. Let this sit for 3-5 minutes. In a medium saucepan, add the water, sugar, and agar agar mixture. Warm this on medium heat for a few minutes, you don’t need to boil it.
   

   

   
5. Add some Color! To get that pastel pink color, it’s best to dip a toothpick into the food color and swirl it in the jelly until you achieve your desired color. Once the mixture has heated, take it off the gas. Add in the rose water and let it cool for 10 minutes in the fridge, just until it’s room temperature but not set.
   

   

   
6. Set the Jelly! If you set the panna cotta into silicone molds, then set the jelly in plates like I have. Otherwise, if you set the panna cotta in serving glasses instead, then simply add the jelly on top of the chilled panna cotta. Use a toothpick or tweezers to add in pistachio and rose petals as garnish. Chill the jelly until set.
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7. Unmold the Panna Cotta! If you set the panna cotta in silicone molds, carefully unmold them before serving onto the plates by turning them over and applying gentle pressure.
   

   
8. Serve Chilled! Serve cold and enjoy!

5 from 2 votes

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Saffron Panna Cotta With Rose Jelly

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

A delicate, creamy Panna Cotta flavored with saffron and cardamom and served with a rose jelly. It’s the perfect Indian twist on a classic Italian dessert!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: sweet

Custom Category: Desserts, Diwali, International Cuisine

Servings: 4

Calories: 260 kcal

Author: Nidhi Bothra

Ingredients

Panna Cotta:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp agar agar powder , or 1 tsp gelatin
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp saffron , soaked in 1 tsp water
• 1 1/2 tbsp water

Rose Jelly:

• 1/2 cup water , and 1 tbsp to bloom agar agar
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp rose water
• 1 drop red food coloring
• 1/4 tsp agar agar powder , or 1/2 tsp gelatin

Garnish:

• pistachio , sliced
• rose petals

Instructions

Panna Cotta:

1. In a medium saucepan, add in the milk, heavy cream, saffron, sugar, and cardamom. Warm this mixture on low to medium heat until you see small bubbles forming on the edges. Take it off the heat and cool for 10 minutes to let the cardamom and saffron flavors to steep.

2. While the mixture is steeping, mix the agar agar (or gelatin) in the water and let it bloom for 5 minutes. When the mixture is cool and the agar agar has bloomed, add the agar agar into the mixture and stir till well combined.

3. Warm on medium heat until you see small bubbles forming on the edges. Make sure to mix well to prevent the agar agar from clumping or sticking.

4. Strain the mixture and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, pour the mixture into your silicone molds or serving glasses and chill in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours.

Rose Jelly:

1. Make sure you only start making the rose jelly once your Panna Cotta has set. To make the rose jelly, mix together the agar agar (or gelatin) and 1 tbsp water. Let this sit for 3-5 minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan, add the water, sugar, and agar agar mixture. Warm this on medium heat for a few minutes, you don’t need to boil it. To get that pastel pink color, it’s best to dip a toothpick into the food color and swirl it in the jelly until you achieve your desired color.

3. Once the mixture has heated, take it off the gas. Add in the rose water and let it cool for 10 minutes in the fridge, just until it’s room temperature but not set.

4. Panna Cotta Set In Silicone Molds: Once cooled, set the jelly in plates like I have.

   Panna Cotta Set In Serving Glasses: Once cooled, add the jelly on top of the chilled Panna Cotta.

   If you want, use a toothpick or tweezers to add in pistachio and rose petals as garnish. Chill the jelly until set.

5. If you set the Panna Cotta in silicone molds, carefully unmold them before serving onto the plates by turning them over and applying gentle pressure.

6. Serve cold and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Make sure you add the food coloring using a toothpick and don’t just add drops because it might make the jelly too dark.
• The Panna Cotta and jelly are good in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts

Saffron Panna Cotta With Rose Jelly

Amount Per Serving

Calories 260 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Cholesterol 83mg28%

Sodium 32mg1%

Potassium 65mg2%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 890IU18%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 56mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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