Blueberry Panna Cotta Tart (No-Bake - video recipe)

Give the classic Italian Panna Cotta a blueberry make-over with this blueberry panna cotta tart. Velvety thick cream in a buttery no-bake cookie crust. Create three ombre layers as I have or just one single layered Panna Cotta tart. Perfect for a weekend dessert or to impress family and friends.

A basic panna cotta is an Italian classic. It's basically milk pudding thickened with gelatin. The words 'panna cotta' mean "cooked cream".

A flan (as well as creme brulee) looks similar but uses egg yolks as the thickening agent and needs to be baked in the oven. A panna cotta uses gelatin and needs no baking.

Recently, I made this blueberry panna cotta tart for a family get together and everybody was so fascinated with how beautiful it looked. Those ombre purple layers were mesmerizing. Blueberries do have a beautiful color, don't you agree? This is one simple dessert that's easy to impress with.

About this tart

Not many people realize that Panna Cotta is a very simple and easy recipe. This panna cotta tart has three components to it:

• The crust - Today I am using a cookie crust to make this a no-bake tart. Previously, I shared the strawberry panna cotta tart where we used a homemade rich shortcrust pastry. Both work great so feel free to use either recipe.
• The cream mixture - A basic panna cotta is made with cream, milk, gelatin, and sugar. That's what we have here too.
• The fruit variation - Today we add the blueberry puree to the basic panna cotta to make a blueberry panna cotta tart. In the previous recipe we added strawberry puree to make a strawberry panna cotta tart.

The layers

Creating these layers is not difficult, and yet they do take a little extra time. For a quick and easy blueberry panna cotta tart without layers, you can make just one layer as we did in the strawberry panna cotta tart. Simply combine the blueberry puree to the white panna cotta mixture and pour it over the chilled tart shell. Chill the tart for at least 4 hours before you decorate and serve.

Ingredients & Substitutes

• Whipping Cream - I have used 38% fat content for my whipping cream. You want to use a minimum of 32% if not more. Low-fat creams will set into a very soft Panna Cotta which won't cut into beautiful slices.
• Whole milk - You also need to use whole milk, not low-fat. You can substitute with almond milk if you prefer.
• Sugar - It is best to use castor or fine grain white sugar. You want the sugar to dissolve easily without affecting the color of the mixture.
• Gelatin - It's best to use unflavored gelatin so that the blueberry flavor shines beautifully.
• Blueberries - I have used fresh blueberries because they are in season. And yet, you can also use frozen blueberries for the puree. Just pulse and sieve them just the same way.

Step by step instructions

Prepare crust

• Using a food processor crush the graham crackers until bread crumb consistency. Alternatively, place them in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
• Add melted butter and sugar. Combine well so there are no dry crumbs.
• Pour into the tart pan and use the back of the spoon or glass to press the crumbs into the pan.
• Place the tart in the freezer for an hour.

Prepare blueberry puree

• Pulse the blueberries in a food processor or blender until smooth.
• Sieve thru a fine mesh to remove the skin.
• Use the amount requested in this recipe.

Prepare Panna Cotta

• Sprinkle gelatin over the cold milk. Stir and set aside for 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the cream & sugar until sugar dissolves and cream comes to an almost boil.
• Add the vanilla and the soaked gelatin milk.
• Continue to cook until the gelatin is all dissolved and the mixture is well heated thru.
• Take the mixture off the heat.
• Sieve the mixture thru a mesh to get any undissolved gelatin or remaining blueberry skin. (this is your white panna cotta mixture).

Prepare layers

• Take ½ cup of the white pannacotta mixture in a bowl and add the blueberry puree - and combine well.
• Gently pour half the mixture into the cooled/partially frozen tart shell. ( I prefer to pour over the back of a spoon for a gentle pour).
• Carefully, place the tart in the fridge and let chill for 30 minutes to an hour until the top is almost set.

• For the second layer - Add only half of the remaining white mixture to the blueberry pannacotta mixture.
• Gently pour only half the blueberry panna cotta mixture over the chilled first layer. (I prefer to pour over the back of a spoon for a gentle pour).
• Carefully place the tart in the fridge and chill again for 30 minutes to an hour until the top is almost set.

• Lastly, combine both the remaining panna cotta mixtures (white and blue).
• Gently pour the mixture over the previous cooled layers. (I prefer to pour over the back of a spoon for a gentle pour).

• Carefully place the tart in the fridge and this time chill for at least 4 hours until the pannacotta is set.
• Decorate with fresh blueberries and whipped cream as shown in the video.
• Enjoy!

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Eggless blueberry panna cotta tart

In the video, I promised to share how to make this an eggless recipe.
Agar-agar is a vegetarian substitute made from seaweed and more potent than gelatin.
You will need 2 tsp agar flakes for every cup of liquid so in this case 3 tsp of agar flakes can be used.
Also, unlike gelatin, agar must be boiled until thickened. So add it to the cream and milk mixture and bring to a boil over medium-low heat until thickened (about 5 minutes).

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Frequently asked questions

Can I use blueberry jello instead of gelatin?

No, it's best to use gelatin. You can use blueberry gelatin if you get, but not a jello mix. Those are with sugar added and not enough gelatin. As a result, the consistency of your Panna Cotta will be very soft.

Can I use any other crust for this tart?

Yes, you can bake a buttery shortcrust pastry as I did in my strawberry panna cotta tart. Precook the tart as shown in the video and detailed post here - Rich shortcrust pastry tart from scratch.

Can I add panna cotta to shortcrust pastry?

Yes, you can. The gelatin in the Panna Cotta starts to set as soon as you place it in the fridge. A trick I use is to freeze my shortcrust in the freezer an hour before I pour the milk mixture. The cold pastry instantly sets the mixture that hits the tart shell.

Can I make this tart a day before?

Yes, because the milk mixture sets with the gelatin, there is no fear of the pastry getting soaked with the milk mixture. A perfect make-ahead dessert for any occasions. You can make this tart 2 days ahead as well.

Does this panna cotta tart need to be refrigerated at all times?

Panna Cotta is best served cold. So, you must chill the tart for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours for the gelatin to set. After that, you can keep it at room temperature for an hour or so depending on the weather. Gelatin will start to soften in warm, room temperature. Hence, it's best to bring the tart out close to serving time.

Can I reheat the panna cotta mixture?

The cream mixture must be poured into the tart slightly cooled but while it is still in liquid form. If you wait too long, the gelatin will start to set in the saucepan. If that happens gently reheat the mixture until it's warm and liquidy again.

Can I make this an eggless panna cotta?

Yes, you can if you use agar-agar instead of gelatin. Agar-agar is a vegetarian substitute made from seaweed and more potent than gelatin.
You will need 2 tsp agar flakes for every cup of liquid so in this case 3 tsp of agar flakes can be used.
Also, unlike gelatin, agar must be boiled until thickened. So add it to the cream and milk mixture and bring to a boil over medium-low heat until thickened (about 5 minutes).

What else can you make with blueberries?

Blueberries are so versatile and there is so much you can do with them. Here are a few blueberry inspired recipes that I have shared with you on this blog.

• Blueberry ice cream
• Classic Blueberry Tart
• Easy Blueberry Crumble
• Blueberry filled macarons
• Cream Cheese Blueberry Crumb Bars
• Baked mini blueberry cheesecakes
• Blueberry Cheesecake
• Apple blueberry cupcakes
• Mini blueberry cream cheese tarts
• Banana blueberry smoothie
• Blueberry filling for cakes, pies, and tarts
• Blueberry Cream Cake with crumb topping

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