Keto Panna Cotta – Greek-Italian love affair

How about Keto Panna Cotta? Isn’t this the simplest, yet most delicious dessert from Italy? I will continue my Italian adventure with this Ketonisation of a famous Italian dessert. But, of course, it will have a little extra dash of Greece! I am sure there are numerous recipes all around the world-wide-web for Keto Panna Cotta. However, my version will be different! Not only in flavour but also in the preparation method. It’s a hot summer in the Mediterranean zone. If you live in the part of the world where the summertime reaches its peak around August, you cannot stand by the stove and wait for the milk, cream and gelatine to thicken! Also, I will gift you a shorter waiting time! This version will thicken in the freezer in just 20 minutes! Ideal for preparing when you have sudden guests visiting!

The history of Panna Cotta

This is a classic example of how only a few ingredients can create a true cult! Panna Cotta can vary in so many ways and that’s the beauty of it. Classical Panna cotta is made mainly from milk cream, sugar, gelatin, often infused with some vanilla. From this simple mixture, in just a few simple steps, a snowy white delicacy is created. It’s usually served with syrup and fragments of forest fruits. Not only is it an impressive dessert that delights every food lover, but it also became a symbol of Italian cuisine. This served as a starting point for Keto Panna Cotta.

A classic dish from Piedmont

The exact history of Panna Cotta and who created it is not known. But it is closely related to the general history of food in the Piedmont region. Here’s an interesting Keto-Mediterranean fact: This is an area unsuitable for olive growing, so people in their traditional recipes have always used butter and lard instead of oil. To get butter and fat, they were using both cow’s and goat’s milk. So in that area, milk, beef gelatine and cream were always abundantly present. Therefore, we can assume that one of the traditional deserts of this region evolved into Panna Cotta.

The wonder of thickening without artificial stuff

Of course, Panna Cotta can vary in flavour and colour in many ways. For example, spices and flavours such as cinnamon or rose water, caramel, orange syrup, chocolate, coconut, wine or liqueur give their own notes. From homemade cream and butter, the famous Italian Mascarpone cheese is made. You might have noticed that I’m using it a lot in my recipes. Why? Because a strict Italian regulation prohibits additives in real Mascarpone. If you buy a good quality Mascarpone, you’ll get cream and butter, nothing else! No salt, no sugar or artificial thickeners and stabilisers. This, however, can be found in some fake Mascarpones, usually produced out of Italy.

Keto Panna Cota goes to the island of Chios

Forgive me my Italian brothers, but the best Panna Cotta I ever tried (I did not visit the Piedmont area yet) was here in Athens. A specific pastry Shop called Crema in the Gazi area of Athens has a version of Panna Cotta infused with the aroma of mastic oil. That was something beyond and above any dessert experience. Of course, this was way before I quit sugar! Naturally, I decided to Ketonise it and make it totally sugar-free. You’ll most probably think a piece of heaven landed on your plate after you taste Keto Panna Cota which has a dash of unique aroma from the island of Chios.

The magic of mastic

In the embrace of Dodecanese, somewhere near Asia Minor, in the waves of the Aegean sea, heaven is hidden. An island where you can forget about your worries and relax your soul. Since ancient times, Greece had no such place as Chios. It is an island with ancient history, the centre of great civilisations, and the cradle of the Hellenistic spirit and knowledge! It was one of the most important emporiums in the Middle Ages and during the Turkish occupation. Everyone who ever visited it admires this unique island! The ancient rulers envied the inhabitants of Chios. The Turks were enchanted by it, and even the Genoese people fell in love with it.

The most important narrative of the island is written by mastic – a green wild pistachio tree that grows only in the south of Chios. This unusual tree provides us with the precious fragrant resin which is used in making a specific spice. Ancient breath enhancers, chewing gums and medicine were made of it. The inhabitants of this island can thank the Turkish women in 1822 for making them famous. Their product was too favoured and important for sultan ladies from the harem.

They were paying the Turks in mastic so that they don’t destroy the island in their invasion. Paradise on earth was changed to hell at that time. After the total destruction of the island’s capital, the wave of destruction spread to the surrounding area, with the exception of the villages that produced the mastic. The fate of Chios has left a striking mark across Europe. The great Victor Hugo was inspired and wrote his “Les Orientales”. The famous painter Delacroix painted “The Chase on Chios“, which is today exhibited at the Louvre.

Keto Panna Cotta in just 5 minutes

I guess it’s time to get to the recipe. Well, don’t worry, it’ll take you less time to prepare the Keto Panna Cotta than to read this whole article. I am serious here! I might have created the fastest Panna cotta recipe in the world. Just follow these easy steps and you’ll be amazed by the simplicity and ease of preparation. If you have a good freezer, you’ll be eating your perfect Keto Panna Cotta in just 20 minutes after preparing it.