This Cinnamon Panna Cotta Tart features a chocolate sweet tart crust filled with a silky cinnamon panna cotta. Top it with fresh figs, pears, or persimmons and a drizzle of honey for a lightly sweet, refreshing dessert.
Posted: 10/22/2020; Updated: 10/20/2021
If you want a dessert that’s elegant but not heavy, this Cinnamon Panna Cotta Tart is an ideal choice. The combination of chocolate and warm cinnamon delivers familiar, comforting flavors while the panna cotta delivers a delicate, creamy texture. It’s a refined option for autumn and winter gatherings and is surprisingly simple to make.
The tart uses a chocolate sweet tart crust (pâte sucrée) with a cookie-like texture. After blind-baking, the crust is sealed with a thin layer of melted dark or semi-sweet chocolate. A lightly sweetened panna cotta, infused with cinnamon tea, is poured in to set and become luxuriously creamy.
Top the set tart with thin slices of fresh figs, pears, or persimmon and finish with a drizzle of honey. With each bite you’ll notice contrasts: soft panna cotta, tender fruit, chewy chocolate, and a crisp crust. The result is refreshingly light yet warmly spiced and chocolaty.
What is Panna Cotta?
Panna cotta is an Italian dessert made from sweetened cream thickened with gelatin. Think of it as a cross between pudding and gelatin—smooth, creamy, and lightly set. It can be molded and served in cups, but it also works beautifully as a tart filling.
Why is it called panna cotta?
The name panna cotta means “cooked cream” in Italian. Its basic components are cream, sugar, and gelatin. Despite sounding elaborate, panna cotta is straightforward: gently heat a few ingredients, add gelatin, and let it set.
Common Panna Cotta Flavors
The neutral cream base makes panna cotta versatile. Tea-infused versions—like cinnamon, earl grey, or chamomile—are lovely. Fruit flavors (strawberry, peach, blueberry, mango, passion fruit) are common and often paired with a fruit jelly layer. Other popular variations include chocolate, coffee, white chocolate, rose, and Nutella.
Panna Cotta Ingredients
- Whole milk. Used to steep the cinnamon tea before combining with cream.
- Cinnamon tea. Any cinnamon black tea or a chai blend works well.
- Heavy whipping cream. Required for the silky texture of the panna cotta.
- Granulated sugar. A small amount—just enough to lightly sweeten the cream.
- Unflavored gelatin. Necessary for setting the panna cotta; use powdered gelatin for consistent results.
Making the Cinnamon Panna Cotta Tart
Begin by preparing a chocolate sweet tart crust (pâte sucrée). The crust is a rich, slightly sweet dough that bakes to a tender, cookie-like shell. After chilling and rolling, blind-bake the shell until it’s fully dry and set.
Once cooled, brush the inside of the shell with a thin layer of melted chocolate to seal it. This coating prevents the panna cotta from making the crust soggy while still allowing the filling to adhere where needed.
While the shell bakes and cools, prepare the panna cotta. Bring the milk to a gentle simmer, remove from heat, and steep the cinnamon tea in the milk for about an hour. Strain or squeeze the tea bags out afterward.
Panna cotta layer
Return the infused milk to the pot, add heavy cream and sugar, then sprinkle the gelatin over the surface and allow it to bloom for 10 minutes. Gently heat the mixture, whisking until it reaches about 120°F (use a digital thermometer for accuracy). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, then cool, stirring occasionally, until it drops just below 100°F. At that point the panna cotta is ready to pour into the prepared tart shell.
Pour the cooled panna cotta mixture into the chocolate-lined tart shell and chill on a baking sheet so it stays level. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight until fully set.
Chocolate Coating
Melt dark or semi-sweet chocolate and brush a thin layer over the bottom and partway up the sides of the cooled tart shell. The layer should be mostly continuous but leave some spots for the panna cotta to adhere. Chill briefly to set the chocolate before filling.
Assembly tips
- Place the tart shell on a baking sheet before filling so you can transport it easily without spilling.
- For extra stability, fill the shell while it’s already in the fridge—this reduces the risk of sloshing.
- Allow the tart to set for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Top with thin slices of figs, pears, persimmons, or other soft fruit. Pile the fruit on generously for a rustic presentation.
- Finish with a light drizzle of honey just before serving.
- Enjoy within 24 hours for the best texture; the panna cotta can release a small amount of liquid after that time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Traditional panna cotta contains cream, milk, sugar, and gelatin and does not include gluten. Note that toppings or crusts may contain gluten if used.
Yes. Making panna cotta a day ahead is recommended to give it plenty of time to set and develop flavor.
More Tart Recipes
- Blueberry White Chocolate Ganache Tart
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
- Peppermint Patty Tartlets
- Chocolate Espresso Tart
📖Recipe
Cinnamon Panna Cotta Tart
Equipment
- 8 or 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Stand mixer (or hand mixer) with paddle attachment
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Pie weights or dried rice/beans
- Digital thermometer
Ingredients
Chocolate Sweet Tart Crust
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (85g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (165g)
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder (12g)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and melted (about 1.5 oz)
Cinnamon Panna Cotta
- 1 cup whole milk (250 ml)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon tea (or 2 tea bags)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (188 ml)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (30g)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon powdered unflavored gelatin (5g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Toppings
- Sliced figs, pears, persimmons, or other soft fruit
- Honey for drizzling
Instructions
Chocolate Tart Shell
- Cream butter, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer until smooth. Add the egg and mix.
- Mix in the flour and cocoa on low until just combined. Wrap into a disc and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Roll the dough to about 1/8″ thickness, fit into the tart pan, trim, and patch as needed. Freeze 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Dock the tart, line with parchment, fill with pie weights, and blind-bake 10–15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and bake another 10–15 minutes until dry. Cool completely.
- Melt dark chocolate and brush a thin, even layer on the bottom and sides of the cooled shell. Freeze briefly to set.
Cinnamon Panna Cotta
- Bring milk to a low simmer, remove from heat, add cinnamon tea, and steep for 1 hour. Strain or squeeze out tea.
- Return infused milk to the pot, add cream and sugar, then sprinkle gelatin on top and let bloom 10 minutes.
- Heat over medium-low, whisking, until the mixture reaches about 120°F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Cool the mixture to just below 100°F, stirring occasionally. Place the chocolate-lined tart shell on a baking sheet and carefully pour in the panna cotta.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight until fully set. Top with sliced fruit and a light drizzle of honey before serving.
Notes
Fill the tart while it’s on a baking sheet or while it is already chilled in the fridge to avoid spills. The tart is best within 24 hours and can be stored uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving: Calories 350 kcal; Carbohydrates 38 g; Protein 5 g; Fat 21 g.