How To Make Panna Cotta
Today we are feasting with… Saint Helena.
To celebrate her feast day, we’re making Panna Cotta.
Saint Helena and the True Cross
Helena was born around 250 A.D. She married Constantius Chlorus and had one son, Constantine. Helena’s husband left her to marry princess Theodora, the daughter of Emperor Maximinianus Herculius, for political reasons.
Around 308, Constantine became Emperor. He tasked his mother with finding traditional Catholic relics. In 336, Helen took a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with hopes of finding the True Cross. She came to a temple dedicated to the Roman goddess Venus. This pagan temple was built over the site where Jesus was crucified and buried.
Helena had the pagan temple torn down and began an excavation of the area. Buried under the temple she found three crosses. Helena had a sick woman brought to her from the city. Nothing happened when the woman touched the first two crosses. However, when she touched the third cross, the woman was cured of her ailment. Helena declared the third cross to be the True Cross and had the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher built over the site.
During her pilgrimage, Helena also found the rope and nails that held Jesus to the cross. She also found various other relics in the area. Helena brought these holy items back to her palace before she died sometime near the end of the fourth century.
Saint Helena’s feast day is August 18. She is the patron of new discoveries.
Saint Helena, pray for us!
Download Panna Cotta Recipe
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Ingredients:
- 1/2 Tablespoon Unflavored Powder Gelatin
- 2 Tablespoons Cold Water
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Topping:
- 1 cup Cherries or Berries, fresh/frozen (thawed)
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Preparation Instructions:
- In a small bowl, add two tablespoons of cold water, add in gelatin, and let sit for roughly 10 minutes – do not stir.
- Combine heavy cream and 1/3 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Remove from heat.
- Add vanilla extract.
- Pour simmered cream mixture over gelatin, whisking until all the gelatin is dissolved.
- Pour mixture equally into six small ramekins and place in the refrigerator to set up– 2-3 hours to overnight.
- In a small pot, combine fruit, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and liquid thickens. Cool.
- Once the panna cotta have set up and are ready to be served, spoon cherries or berries over the top. Serve chilled.