The 3-Ingredient Dessert I Make Every Christmas

Celebrating Christmas with my parents throughout my childhood was always spontaneous, irregular, and never too serious. My parents had only immigrated to the US a decade before I was born, so they were still adjusting to its traditions.

As my siblings and I have gotten older, we’ve brought new culinary traditions into our family holiday gatherings. My contribution is this eggnog panna cotta. Although it took a bit of trial and error to get it just right, this dessert is a perfect choice for my family who are quite picky about sweetness (“Not too sweet, please!” is the motto), and who love a custard or pudding-like dessert.

I love this recipe because it’s a delicious way to use up any extra eggnog and that packet of gelatin that’s been hiding in the back of the pantry. Because store-bought eggnog is already sweetened and flavored, this recipe truly only needs a handful of ingredients. 

Working With Gelatin

The general rule of thumb with gelatin packets is that one packet and two cups of liquid will make a very firm dessert, so my recipe uses more liquid for a tender consistency. Most recipes using gelatin call for it to be “bloomed” in cool water before stirring it into the other ingredients.

However, my recipe skips that step. Heating the gelatin gently in the cream and eggnog will dissolve it just fine.

Choosing the Serving Dishes

Panna cottas are usually unmolded, but since this step is so fussy I serve them in the ramekins or bowls they are set in, like crème brûlées or single-serving puddings. Tall ramekins, small bowls, or even tumblers or mugs all work for serving these panna cottas. 

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