Hojicha Panna Cotta (Printer-friendly)

Silky custard infused with roasted Japanese green tea, creating an elegant dessert with refined earthy notes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy

01 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Sweetener

03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Tea

04 - 2 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 3 hojicha tea bags

→ Setting Agent

05 - 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
06 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Garnish

07 - Whipped cream
08 - Shaved chocolate or roasted nuts
09 - Edible flowers

# Directions:

01 - Sprinkle gelatin powder over cold water in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until absorbed and softened.
02 - Combine heavy cream, whole milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat until steaming, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Do not boil.
03 - Remove from heat. Add hojicha tea leaves or bags. Cover and steep for 7 to 8 minutes to infuse roasted flavor.
04 - Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Press tea leaves gently with a spatula to extract maximum flavor. Discard solids.
05 - Return strained cream to saucepan. Reheat gently until warm. Add bloomed gelatin and whisk continuously until completely dissolved, about 1 minute.
06 - Divide mixture evenly among 4 ramekins or serving glasses. Cool to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes.
07 - Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until firm and set.
08 - Run a thin knife around edges and invert onto plates, or serve directly in glasses. Top with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, nuts, or edible flowers as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted, earthy hojicha creates this incredible depth that balances the cream's richness without feeling heavy
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes of actual hands on time, then the fridge does all the work while you go about your day
  • Nothing beats that moment when you unmold it and it holds this perfect, quivering shape that looks restaurant fancy but is entirely forgiving
02 -
  • Never let your cream mixture boil after adding the tea—high heat can make the dairy seize and creates this weird cooked flavor that masks the delicate hojicha notes
  • The blooming step for gelatin cannot be skipped, but if you see dry granules floating on top after 5 minutes, give it a gentle stir and wait another minute
  • Unmolding requires confidence—run a thin knife around the edge, dip the ramekin briefly in warm water, then invert onto a plate in one decisive motion
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients incorporate more smoothly—if your cream is cold from the fridge, give it an extra minute on the stove
  • A pinch of sea salt in the cream mixture is not in the original recipe but it makes all the roasted notes pop like someone turned up the volume on the flavor
Go Back