This is a savory panna cotta, served as a spoonable appetizer rather than a dessert. Buttermilk and cream are set soft with a small amount of gelatin, and the only sweetener is honey that has been cooked dark, past sweet, into something closer to bitter caramel. On top goes a shard of toasted buckwheat brittle and a heavy crack of black pepper. In one spoon you get cold and creamy, tangy, bitter, and crunchy, which is exactly the contrast an appetizer is supposed to deliver.
It is made ahead, it sets in small glasses in the refrigerator, and it takes about twenty minutes of actual work. Serve it early in a spread, before anything hot, with a small spoon.
Why It Works: Burning the Honey
Honey is mostly fructose and glucose, and fructose caramelizes at a much lower temperature than table sugar, starting around 230 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 320. That is why honey darkens fast in a pan and why you can take it past sweet without much effort. As it caramelizes it throws off a cascade of new compounds, sweet, sour, and bitter all at once, and the bitter ones are what you are after here. Cooked to a deep mahogany and pulled the moment it smells toasted rather than acrid, burnt honey tastes like caramel that has been to finishing school.
The gelatin is set low on purpose. You want a panna cotta that barely holds its shape, that slumps when the spoon goes in. Too much gelatin and it eats like a gummy bear.
Savory Burnt Honey Panna Cotta
Serves 4, in small glasses. Prep 20 minutes, setting 4 hours, total about 4 hours 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1.25 teaspoons powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the buckwheat brittle:
- 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats (kasha)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Pinch of salt
- Coarsely cracked black pepper, to finish
Method
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl and leave it to soften for 5 minutes.
- In a small heavy saucepan, cook the 1/3 cup honey over medium heat, swirling the pan, until it darkens to a deep reddish brown and smells toasted, 4 to 6 minutes. Watch it closely at the end. Pull it off the heat the moment the smell turns from caramel toward sharp.
- Stand back and pour in the cream. It will steam and seize. Return it to low heat and stir until the caramel dissolves back into the cream smoothly.
- Off the heat, whisk in the softened gelatin until fully dissolved, then the buttermilk and salt. Do not boil after the buttermilk goes in or it can split.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a measuring jug, then pour into four small glasses. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- For the brittle, toast the buckwheat groats in a dry pan over medium heat until nutty and a shade darker, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons honey and the pinch of salt, stir to coat, and cook 1 minute until sticky. Spread thin on parchment and cool completely, then break into shards.
- To serve, top each panna cotta with a shard or two of brittle and a heavy crack of black pepper. Serve cold but not fridge-cold, about fifteen minutes out.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated by calculation for one of four servings, not lab verified.
| Calories | Protein | Carbohydrate | Fat | Fiber | Sugars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 340 | 5 g | 32 g | 23 g | 1 g | 28 g |
Tips and Variations
- Make it a proper dessert: double the honey in the custard, skip the pepper, and top with fruit instead of brittle.
- No buckwheat: a shard of plain honeycomb candy, or crushed toasted hazelnuts tossed in a little honey, both work.
- Unmold it: set in oiled ramekins with an extra 1/4 teaspoon gelatin, dip briefly in warm water, and turn out onto a plate.
- Cheese course angle: serve alongside a wedge of blue cheese and a few crackers. The bitter honey does the same job here that it does on a cheese board.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the honey is burnt enough and not too far?
Go by smell and color. It should be a deep reddish mahogany and smell like toasted bread and caramel with just an edge of bitterness. If it smells sharp, acrid, or like burnt toast, it has gone too far and will taste harsh. Start over. It takes ninety seconds to make more.
Why did my panna cotta not set?
Usually the gelatin was not fully dissolved, or the mixture was boiled after the gelatin went in, which weakens it. Warm gently, whisk until you cannot feel any granules, and never let it simmer.
Can I use store-bought honeycomb instead of making brittle?
Yes. A shard of honeycomb candy or sponge toffee gives you the same crunch and sweetness. The buckwheat version adds a nutty, savory note that leans the dish further from dessert, which is the point, but it is optional.
Is this too sweet to serve before dinner?
The burnt honey and the salt and pepper pull it well back from dessert territory, and the portion is small. If you are still worried, cut the honey in the custard to 1/4 cup.
How far ahead can I make it?
The panna cotta holds two days refrigerated. Make the brittle the same day and keep it airtight, since it softens in humidity. Top just before serving.
Tools for the Job
A small heavy saucepan is the one thing that matters, because a thin one scorches the honey before it caramelizes evenly.
- Stainless Steel Whisk
- Waterproof Digital Kitchen Thermometer
- Pots, Pans and Cookware
- Baking, Dessert and Pastry Essentials
More Appetizers
See all appetizers, or start with these.
Who Is Writing This
I am Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary training in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-time 4-Diamond chef. More about me here. If a step did not make sense, get in touch and I will fix it.
Thank you for cooking this one with us. From all of us at Wine Drop Cookery.
Fructose, the main sugar in honey, begins to caramelize near 110 degrees Celsius, well below table sugar at about 160, and caramelization produces a mix of sweet, sour, and bitter compounds at once, per the caramelization entry in the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture. That is why honey darkens and turns bitter quickly.