White Chocolate Panna Cotta Recipe with Kiwi Compote

“A person with taste is merely one who can recognize the greatest beauty in the simplest things.” ― Barbara Taylor Bradford.

We are about to move house, and I don’t plan to pack any perishables from the current kitchen. That means I’m trying to use up my baking supplies—especially the surplus white chocolate I discovered tucked away in the pantry. Funny thing: I used to dislike white chocolate, but over the last two or three years it’s grown on me.

It took some thought to decide what to make. I already have several white chocolate recipes on the blog, including cakes, truffles, frostings and blondies, so nothing felt especially exciting. Then my friend Neha suggested white chocolate panna cotta with a berry coulis. I love panna cotta, but the berry season had ended and I didn’t want to buy expensive imported berries. After a bit of brainstorming I settled on a kiwi compote instead—and it worked beautifully.

Panna cotta is essentially cooked cream. For this version I heat cream, melt in white chocolate for flavor, stir in bloomed gelatin (or agar agar if you prefer), and chill until set. White chocolate panna cotta tends to set firmer than other panna cottas; if you prefer a wobblier texture, reduce either the chocolate or the gelatin slightly. Low-fat cream works fine here, which helps keep the dessert lighter without sacrificing the creamy mouthfeel.

The compote is simply fruit cooked in syrup. Kiwi is a great choice because its tartness complements the sweet panna cotta. One caveat: cooked kiwi can turn a dull brownish colour. A useful tip I picked up is to reserve one kiwi, puree it raw, and fold that bright green puree into the cooled compote to restore some vibrancy. If color isn’t a concern, you can skip that step.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Kiwi Compote

Creamy white chocolate panna cotta served with a tangy kiwi compote for a bright, balanced dessert.

Ingredients

For the panna cotta

• 300 ml (or 1 1/4 cups) low-fat cream (I used Amul fresh cream)
• 1 tsp powdered gelatin
• 55 grams (or 1/3 cup) white chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the compote

• 3 kiwis
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions

To make the panna cotta

1. Chill 1/4 cup of the cream in the refrigerator.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the chilled cream and let it stand for 5 minutes to bloom.
3. Chop the white chocolate into small pieces so it melts easily.
4. Heat the remaining cream in a pan, add the chopped white chocolate and sugar.
5. Stir while heating until the chocolate and sugar have melted into the cream.
6. Stir in the bloomed gelatin and continue heating gently until the gelatin dissolves. Do not let the mixture boil after the gelatin is added.
7. Remove from heat and pour into lightly greased moulds or serving glasses.
8. Refrigerate for 3–5 hours, until fully set.

To make the compote

1. Peel and finely chop two of the kiwis.
2. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, combine the chopped kiwi, sugar and lime juice and heat until the sugar dissolves.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the fruit is softened. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
5. Let the compote cool to room temperature. Mash any larger pieces with a fork if you prefer a smoother texture.
6. Peel and puree the remaining kiwi, then fold the fresh puree into the cooled compote to restore some green colour if desired.

To serve

1. If using moulds: unmould the set panna cottas gently onto plates and spoon a tablespoon of compote on top.
2. If using glasses: spoon a tablespoon of compote over the set panna cotta and serve chilled.

Notes

This recipe makes four small or two generous servings. You can double or triple the quantities as needed. Use an equal amount of agar agar instead of gelatin if you prefer a vegetarian alternative. For a wobblier panna cotta, reduce the white chocolate to 1/4 cup or the gelatin to 3/4 tsp. The pureed kiwi is optional and mainly restores colour; skip it if you don’t mind the compote’s cooked hue. I used a 240 ml cup as a reference for mould size.

Panna cotta is all about cream; add white chocolate and the richness takes on a new dimension. The fresh kiwi compote cuts through that richness with a zesty counterpoint. The tartness and bright green of the kiwi pair especially well with the pristine white panna cotta, offering both contrast in flavour and in colour.

That said, some prefer the panna cotta plain—my husband and Neha’s husband both enjoyed theirs without compote—so feel free to serve it on its own. But if you like contrast in texture and flavour, the kiwi compote is worth trying.