Elegant Rhubarb Panna Cotta Recipe | A Light and Floral Spring Dessert
Letting Rhubarb Speak for Itself
By: Waymond D. Wesley II
Why This Panna Cotta Celebrates the Ingredient Without the Usual Berry Pairing
Rhubarb has a reputation for being a team player—most often found mingling with strawberries in pies and jams. And while that classic combination is beloved for good reason, I wanted to take a different approach with this recipe. I wanted to give rhubarb the stage to speak for itself—bright, tart, floral, and deeply aromatic when handled with care.
Too often, rhubarb plays a supporting role, its sharpness softened by the sweetness of other fruits. But I believe it deserves its own spotlight. When cooked gently and slowly, rhubarb transforms into something elegant and fragrant, and it doesn’t need berries to shine. In this panna cotta, I use a slow-steeped rhubarb syrup—made sous vide over 12 hours—to highlight the natural complexity of the ingredient. No strawberries. No raspberries. Just rhubarb, cream, and a touch of sugar to bring everything into balance.
The result is a dessert that feels restrained and refined. The panna cotta is silky and clean, letting the syrup lend a subtle blush of color and a bold, unmistakable character. It’s floral, tart, and lightly sweet, with just enough acidity to brighten the panna cotta base.
If you’re someone who’s only experienced rhubarb alongside other fruits, this is a chance to rediscover it in its purest form. No distractions—just rhubarb as it is, and as it should be
Rhubarb Panna Cotta
Bright, floral, and luxuriously smooth — this panna cotta features a house-made rhubarb syrup that brings subtle tartness and aromatic complexity depth to a classic dessert. Ideal for spring menus or as a plated dessert centerpiece.
Ingredients
Rhubarb Syrup (for 100 g of syrup base)
- 58 g rhubarb unpeeled, diced
- 27 g granulated sugar
- 15 g glucose syrup
Rhubarb Panna Cotta
- 300 g rhubarb syrup
- 300 g whole milk 3% fat
- 300 g heavy cream 40% fat
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 4 g salt
- 10.23 g Gold Leaf Gelatin 200 Bloom, (~1.1% of total weight)
- Scant amount of red food coloring
Instructions
Rhubarb Syrup
- Note: Multiply the Rhubarb Syrup recipe by 5 to yield more than enough rhubarb syrup after straining for use in the below panna cotta. I show you the 100 g base so you can understand the proportions and makeup of the syrup.
- Dice the rhubarb without peeling.
- Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and glucose syrup in a vacuum bag and seal under full vacuum.
- Cook sous vide at 176°F (80°C) for 12 hours.
- Immediately cool the bag in an ice bath.
- Strain gently, taking care not to compress the rhubarb.
Rhubarb Panna Cotta
- Bloom the gelatin in ice-cold water for ten minutes.
- While the gelatin blooms, heat the heavy cream to 175°F (75°C). Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until fully melted.
- Incorporate the sugar and salt into the hot cream and stir until dissolved.
- In a separate container, combine the rhubarb syrup, whole milk, and red food coloring.
- Add the warm gelatin-cream mixture to the rhubarb base. Blend gently with an immersion blender until just combined, taking care not to incorporate air.
- Strain the panna cotta base into a pouring vessel. Portion into desired molds or serving cups and refrigerate until fully set (typically 4–6 hours).
Notes
This panna cotta pairs beautifully with fresh rhubarb, pistachio, pepitas and butter cookies.