Cinnamon Panna Cotta Tart

If you're looking for a dessert that packs a ton of flavor, but is light and delicate, you're right where you need to be. This Cinnamon Panna Cotta Tart is the perfect option for a more refined-feeling fall and winter dessert, in a simple creation process. It's unique and has contrasting textures, yet the cinnamon and chocolate combination make you feel like you've been eating all your life!

The tart is made of a chocolate sweet tart crust (pâté sucrée) that is similar to a cookie crust. The crust then gets brushed with melted semi sweet or dark chocolate to seal it. Finally, a lightly sweetened panna cotta base is steeped with cinnamon tea and poured into the tart shell to set and get creamy.

Top the tart with fresh slices figs, pears, or persimmon and a drizzle of honey. As you eat it, you move through the phases of soft, creamy, chewy and crunchy. It's refreshing, yet chocolatey and warm-spiced from the cinnamon. Truly an excitement to the taste buds!

When my husband asked me what panna cotta was, I responded with "umm...it's like milk jello?" While technically I am correct there, a better way to describe it would be a sweet, flavored cream thickened with gelatin. It's as if jello and pudding had a baby.

This dessert originates from Italy and is a concoction that is molded and served on a plate or in a cup, but is also frequently enjoy in tart form. When served in a cup, you eat the creamy concoction with a spoon!

Panna cotta in Italian means "cooked cream" and is comprised of cream, sugar, and gelatin. While the name "panna cotta" may feel fancy, I urge you to try this Cinnamon Panna Cotta Tart. All you have to do is simmer a few ingredients on the stove to make the panna cotta! Easy peasy.

Because the base is cream, sugar and gelatin, you can get really creative with your flavors. Similar to this cinnamon version, earl grey or chamomile are also great tea options.

Fruit flavors include rhubarb, strawberry, peach, blueberry, mango, and passion fruit. You will typically see a layer of fruit jelly over the top for contrast and extra flavor, as well.

Some other fun flavors include rose, white chocolate, chocolate, coffee, and even Nutella!

• Whole milk. Part of the base. Tea gets steeped in the milk and then the heavy whipping cream is added.
• Cinnamon tea. I use Bigelow Cinnamon Stick Black Tea, but use whatever type you can find! Chai would also be a good alternative.
• Heavy whipping cream. This is necessary for the correct texture.
• Granulated sugar. Only two tablespoons! Just to lightly sweeten the panna cotta.
• Unflavored gelatin. This is what makes the panna cotta set properly and cannot be omitted. I use Knox Unflavored Gelatin Powder.

To make this lovely tart, start by making the Chocolate Sweet Tart Crust. Follow the link for very detailed, step by step instructions.

Combine the butter, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer (with the paddle attachment) and beat for one minute on medium speed to cream it together. Scrape the sides, then add the egg and mix.

Finally, add the mixture of flour and cocoa powder until it comes together. The recipe calls for dutch processed cocoa powder - this is needed for the correct depth of flavor, do not use natural cocoa.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, plated into a disc and place into the fridge for 2 hours to hydrate and firm. Once ready, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it's between ⅛" and ¼" thick. Transfer it to a tart pan with a removable bottom, press in, and trim.

Freeze for 15 minutes, dock all over with a fork, then add parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 325℉/163℃, remove the parchment and pie weights, and finish baking for another 10-15 minutes until the crust is completely dry and set. Set on a wire rack to cool completely.

See the Chocolate Sweet Tart Crust recipe for detailed instructions on this process. While the tart is baking, start the panna cotta by steeping the milk and tea.

To make the panna cotta, bring the milk to a simmer on the stove (stir it a few times so you don't burn it on the bottom!), turn off the heat, then add the tea and steep for one hour. If using loose leaf tea, strain out the tea, otherwise, squeeze out the tea bags.

Pour the milk back into the pot, then add the heavy cream and sugar and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Allow the gelatin to sit and bloom for about 10 minutes. Then, turn the heat on to medium low and whisk consistently until the mixture reaches 120℉ on a digital thermometer.

Pour the mixture into a measuring cup or bowl and stir it every few minutes to release the steam and cool it down. Use the digital thermometer to check on the temperature. Once it reaches just below 100℉, it's ready to be poured into the prepared tart shell.

Chocolate Coating

While the milk and tea steep, you'll need to add a thin chocolate coating to the cooled tart shell. This layer helps to prevent the tart shell from becoming soggy from the panna cotta before it sets.

The layer should be thick enough that is covers most of the shell, but also thin enough that there are some bare spaces for the panna cotta to adhere to. Finding a good mix here is what will prevent the panna cotta from slipping off of the shell as you eat it.

To do this, melt the chopped chocolate in 10 second increments in the microwave, stirring each time, until completely melted. Use a pastry brush to spread the chocolate over the bottom and sides of the tart shell. Place in the freezer for about 5 minutes to set.

Assembly tips

• Add the tart shell to a cookie sheet, then carefully fill the tart with the cinnamon panna cotta. Do not let it slosh over the sides or else you'll have a soggy tart.
• I actually place my sheet and shell in the fridge and fill it in the fridge so I don't even have to move it! This is a pour at your own risk situation, though...
• Allow the tart to set for 8 hours or overnight.
• Layer with slices of figs, pears, persimmons, or other soft fruit. While the pictures show a fancy version, I actually like to eat mine with heaping piles of thinly sliced fruit, especially figs!
• Finally, give it a nice drizzle of honey.
• Best enjoyed within 24 hours. The panna cotta will begin to "seep" after that, releasing some water/liquid.

Yes. There is no gluten or thickening agent in panna cotta. The texture comes from the use of gelatin, which means it is not vegan.

YES! This is actually preferred, as giving it a solid amount of time to set up is best.

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