Lemon Panna Cotta with Blueberries

Panna Cotta is a simple, yet fancy, dessert. This Lemon Panna Cotta recipe is flavored with lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla bean paste, and fresh blueberries.

Making this Lemon Panna Cotta

I recently made Panna Cotta for the first time. It’s probably the easiest, fanciest dessert I’ve ever made. It looks special; it tastes special, but it’s really easy to make

This lemon version is a perfect summer dessert because berries are in season and it doesn’t require turning on the oven in an already hot kitchen.

You can mix this up with different flavors – orange and raspberry, vanilla and strawberry. I picked lemon and blueberry because that is a favorite flavor combination of mine. Add in a touch of vanilla to that and it’s golden!

As far as the price, I’d consider this a fairly inexpensive dessert when you do the shopping right. I pick up heavy cream and half and half frequently at Costco to have on had for when the need arises. The size isn’t your typical “Costco size,” but the price is better than I’ve found at grocery stores.

Berries are frequently on sale during summer months. The time I made this, I found them on sale for 79 cents per container. If your location allows, head to the farmers market or a you-pick farm for a fun activity.

What Is Panna Cotta?

Panna Cotta is a fabulously simple, yet seemingly fancy, dessert recipe. Essentially, it is just gelled sweetened cream, but it tastes so much more than that.

In this recipe, the Panna Cotta is flavored with lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste.

What’s in Lemon Panna Cotta?

This lemon blueberry panna cotta recipe may look fancy, but it actually uses fairly basic ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• Cold Water
• Unflavored Gelatin
• Half and Half
• Lemon Zest
• Cream
• Granulated Sugar
• Sea Salt
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Vanilla Bean Paste
• Fresh Blueberries

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this blueberry and lemon panna cotta, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Lemon Panna Cotta

1. First, sprinkle gelatin over the of water in a small bowl. Let it sit to soften.
2. Then, put the half and half, lemon zest, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bubbles form around the edges. After that, whisk until all the sugar is dissolved.
3. Then, take the pan off the heat and whisk in the gelatin mixture until completely dissolved.
4. Whisk in the cream, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste.
5. Divide half of the berries between custard cups or dessert glasses. Fill each one partway with the berries.
6. Pour the panna cotta mixture over the berries and chill until set.
7. Before serving, divide the remaining berries between the cups, piling them on top of the set custard. Garnish with lemon zest.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe for lemon panna cotta. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Tips for Making the Best Lemon Panna Cotta

• Be very careful when heating the cream mixture on the stove. Cream can easily burn and / or bubble over, so warm just until bubbles begin forming at the edges of the pot.
• Make sure to chill the panna cotta until fully set, otherwise your dessert will be soupy.

How to Store Lemon Panna Cotta

Leftovers of this recipe for lemon panna cotta can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.

Since it is served chilled, there’s no need to reheat or bring to room temperature before enjoying the leftovers.

Try this Lemon Panna Cotta at Home!

Next time you’re looking for a no-bake dessert for summer, give this recipe for Lemon Panna Cotta a try!

Did you love the silky texture and citrus notes? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this delicate dessert.

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More Lemony Summer Desserts to Try

This easy Lemon Ice Cream is sweetened with agave nectar and is ultra creamy thanks to a combination of milk, cream, and half and half.

This Lemon Curd Pavlova is topped with fresh raspberries. You can make lots of mini pavlovas and serve them individually, or make one large pavlova as an elegant dessert centerpiece

Need a simple yet elegant no-bake dessert for summer gatherings? Make this Strawberry Lemon Tart! The filling is reminiscent of no-bake cheesecake, but it’s creamier and richer thanks to the combination of mascarpone and cream cheese. 

Celebrate warm weather with these easy Lemon Blackberry Cupcakes! Tangy lemon cupcakes are topped with a fluffy blackberry buttercream frosting. You’ll love the fruity combination of lemon and blackberry flavor.

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.

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Have you ever tried Panna Cotta?