TwentyGrams

TwentyGrams › Recipes › Bittersweet Chocolate Panna Cotta with Toasted Pecans

Bittersweet Chocolate Panna Cotta with Toasted Pecans

6 servings · 5 g net carbs

5g Net carbs 41g Fat 6.2g Protein 423.1 kcal
Bittersweet Chocolate Panna Cotta with Toasted Pecans

TwentyGrams is a keto tracker that logs recipes like this one in a tap. It launches soon.

Join the waitlist

This recipe was generated with AI assistance; nutrition is computed from USDA FoodData Central.

6 servings  ·  prep 20 min  ·  cook 15 min  ·  total 35 min  ·  difficulty medium

Silky set chocolate panna cotta is made by simmering heavy cream with erythritol and dissolving bloomed unflavored gelatin, then whisking the warm mixture into chopped unsweetened chocolate and cream cheese. The mixture is poured into molds and chilled until set while pecans are toasted with butter and cinnamon in the oven for a crunchy topping. The warm cream is tempered into the chocolate so the ganache-like base melts and emulsifies smoothly without seizing. Finished pots are unmolded or spooned and served with chopped toasted pecans and a light dusting of cinnamon for aroma.

Ingredients

  • cream cheeseCream cheese, Regular, plain
    260 g
  • heavy creamCream, Heavy
    180 ml
  • unsweetened chocolateBaking chocolate, Unsweetened, squares
    50 g
  • erythritol
    24 g
  • unflavored gelatinGelatins, Dry powder, unsweetened
    6 g
  • water
    60 g
  • butterButter, Salted
    30 g
  • pecansPecans, Nuts, halves, raw
    60 g
  • cinnamonSpices, Cinnamon, ground
    1 g
  • vanilla extract
    5 g
  • saltSalt, Table
    1 g

Equipment

  • saucepan
  • ramekins
  • baking sheet
  • fine-mesh sieve

Method

  1. Place unflavored gelatin into a small bowl with water and let bloom for 5 minutes until spongy.
  2. Chop unsweetened chocolate and set in a heatproof bowl; cut butter into small pieces and add to the bowl.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream and erythritol and heat over medium until it reaches a bare simmer and steam rises, about 1 to 2 minutes; do not let it boil.
  4. Remove the cream from heat, stir in the bloomed unflavored gelatin until fully dissolved, then pour the warm mixture over the chopped unsweetened chocolate and butter. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until fully smooth and glossy.
  5. Place cream cheese in a separate bowl and whisk briefly to loosen, then gradually whisk the warm chocolate-cream mixture into the cream cheese until homogenous. Stir in vanilla extract and salt.
  6. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup or pitcher to remove any remaining lumps, then divide evenly among six ramekins. Cool briefly at room temperature, then chill until set, about 120 minutes.
  7. While panna cotta chills, preheat the oven to 320°F. Toss pecans with butter and cinnamon until evenly coated, spread on a baking sheet in a single layer, and bake for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until fragrant and toasted. Cool slightly and chop coarsely.
  8. To serve, unmold panna cotta by running a thin knife around the edge or spoon directly into serving dishes. Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans over each serving and dust lightly with a pinch of cinnamon if desired.
Place unflavored gelatin into a small bowl with water and let bloom for 5 minutes until spongy.

Tips

Pro tip

  • Soften cream cheese to room temperature or microwave 8 to 10 seconds to avoid lumps when whisking.
  • Warm the cream gently and pour it over the chocolate rather than adding chocolate to a cold liquid to ensure a smooth emulsion.
  • Use ramekins or silicone molds for easier unmolding; a quick run of a thin knife around the edge helps release the panna cotta.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use coconut cream instead of heavy cream?
Yes. Coconut cream will work as the liquid base and will give a fuller coconut flavor and slightly different mouthfeel. Because coconut cream is thicker and can separate when overheated, warm it gently and proceed the same way when dissolving the bloomed unflavored gelatin.
What can I use instead of pecans for the topping?
Almonds or walnuts can replace pecans with a similar crunch. Toasting the substitute nuts with butter and cinnamon in the oven at the same temperature preserves the toasty flavor profile.
Why is my panna cotta grainy instead of smooth?
Graininess usually comes from chocolate seizing or cold cream shocking the chocolate. To fix, rewarm the mixture gently in a bain-marie and whisk until smooth, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and ensure chopped unsweetened chocolate is fully melted before combining with cream cheese.
Why didn't the panna cotta set properly?
A common cause is underbloomed or insufficient unflavored gelatin. Reheat a small portion of the cream, dissolve an additional measured amount of unflavored gelatin in it until fully clear, whisk it into the chilled mixture while still warm, then return to molds to chill until firm.
How should I store this?
Refrigerate it right away, at 40°F (4°C) or below, and keep it there until it is served. Because a raw or dairy-based dish keeps only as long as its shortest-lived ingredient, follow the storage guidance on those ingredients’ own packaging rather than a single figure for the finished dish. USDA FoodKeeper publishes per-ingredient storage times; nothing here is a measurement of this specific recipe.

Per serving

Primary macros

5g Net carbs 10% 79% 12%
Net carbs Fat Protein
5 gNet carbs
6.2 gProtein
41 gFat
2.1 gFiber
423.1Calories

Electrolytes

Na267 mgSodium

113.1 g per serving

More Dessert Recipes

Reviews

No reviews yet.

Loading…

Published 19 August 2026

Nutrition computed from USDA FoodData Central, from the matched food records — never estimated by a model. How we compute these numbers.