S’mores Panna Cotta

A few bites of Italian cooked cream will satisfy your palate after any dinner.

Marguerite Henderson shares how to make panna cotta with chocolate-marshmallow-graham cracker flavor.

Smore’s Panna Cotta
2 cups heavy cream
16-ounce container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup grated dark chocolate bar
2 tablespoons Hershey’s syrup

1 pkg. Knox gelatin
½ cup whole milk

In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream, sour cream, vanilla extract, sugar, grated chocolate and chocolate syrup to a simmer. Whisk constantly until the mixture is well combined and sugar has melted, about 4 minutes. Make sure it doesn’t come to a boil.


Set aside.


While the cream is simmering, add the gelatin to the whole milk in a small bowl. Allow the gelatin to “bloom”, meaning soften, for 5 minutes. With a fork, whisk the gelatin in the milk. Pour into the hot chocolate cream mixture. Whisk for a minute to incorporate the gelatin.



2 cups graham cracker crumbs, finely ground
8 – 6 ounce ramekins or use decorative glass containers such as votive candle holders, 8 ounce jelly glasses, oven proof small bowls – make sure they can stand the heat!



Place about 2 tablespoons crumbs on the bottom of each ramekin or container, and using a small flat cup (like a ¼ cup measuring cup), press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom of each. Pour the cream mixture into each, leaving about ½ inch space on top. Place the containers on a baking sheet, place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 to allow the mixture to solidify. It should be firm, but slightly jiggly.



When ready to serve, top each ramekin with about 10 miniature marshmallows.
Preheat broiler to high, place the oven rack at least 6 inches from the heat source, place the baking sheet with the ramekins under the broiler for 30 SECONDS – 1 minute until marshmallows start to toast lightly. Remove from oven immediately. The sugar in the marshmallows will continue to cook for a few more seconds after removal. Serve at once with grated chocolate on top. Serves 8.



NOTE: You can also use a kitchen blow torch to brown the tops for a minute or two instead of using the broiler, KITCHEN is the operative word here. No industrial strength blow torches please.