No-Bake Lemon Panna Cotta (Easy & Refreshing)
A no-bake Lemon Panna Cotta that's creamy, refreshing, and foolproof. With just 10 minutes of prep and a few hours of chilling, you'll have a silky, bouncy dessert perfect for summer or entertaining.
Ingredients
- 200 g lemon 2 pieces, fresh yellow lemons, fragrant, smooth skin
- 600 g milk whole milk preferred, or lactose-free if needed
- 300 g heavy cream 30–35% fat, dairy cream recommended; reduce to 250g if using non-dairy cream
- 25 g gelatin sheets soaked in cold water until soft; substitute with 15g gelatin powder bloomed in 30ml cold water if needed
- 50 g sugar adjust between 40–60g to taste; powdered sugar may be substituted
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash and scrub lemons with salt, rinse, and dry. Zest only the yellow skin, avoiding the white pith. Slice a few lemon rounds for garnish.
- Soak 25g gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze out excess water.
Cook the milk base
- In a saucepan, combine 600g milk, 50g sugar, and lemon zest. Heat over medium-low, stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Stop heating when sugar is fully melted and small bubbles form at the edges (about 70°C). Do not boil.
Incorporate gelatin & cream
- Add softened gelatin sheets into the hot milk mixture, stir until fully dissolved.
- Cool slightly to about 50°C, then add 300g heavy cream. Stir until smooth and uniform. Strain to remove zest.
Portion & chill (at least 4 hours)
- Pour mixture into cups or molds, filling about 90% full. Remove any bubbles with a toothpick.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
Decorate & serve
- Garnish with lemon slices, zest, or mint leaves. Unmold carefully if using silicone molds.
- Serve chilled. For an extra icy effect, freeze for 15 minutes before serving.
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