29 Aug Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Strawberry Crumble Topping // Eff the Oven August

Welp, we made it. Today is the very last post of my Eff the Oven August series. It’s been one whole month without turning the oven on. That wasn’t so hard, was it?

And while I’m  looking forward to the birthday layer cakes (mine!!) and gooey pumpkin treats that come with the onset of fall, I have really enjoyed my little hiatus from baking. The last month has challenged me creatively. Brainstorming recipes requiring little to no heat pushed me outside of my comfort zone. And I liked it. I made several kinds of dessert never seen before on Butterlust — from these popsicles to this icebox cake to these quinoa puddings. All of these having been on the to-make list for some time but were always pushed aside because of my love for, well, cake.

And while I just mentioned the F-word (no, not that one…Fall), don’t expect to be seeing any pumpkin recipes popping up around here any time soon, y’all. <– We’re in Texas. Home of the 8 month summer.

Things aren’t cooling down any time soon, which unfortunately makes it a little hard to get into the crisp air, sweater weather, cozy-up-and-bring-me-some-apple-cider kind of mood. So the plan is to do all my fellow southerners solid and hold off on the fall recipes until October. We’ll be turning the oven back on but also taking advantage of the few extra ice cream eating months that living south of the mason dixon line has gifted us.

This Buttermilk Panna Cotta is another one of those recipes that fell neglected on my loooong recipe bucket list. I’ve made pastry creams, pudding and custards out the wazoo but never panna cotta. To be honest, I was always a little weirded out by it because its so…gelatinous? I’m haunted by childhood memories of my grandma’s Jell-o fruit molds — a relic from the 1950’s that she quickly learned her grandchildren were not interested in eating. Chunky. Jiggly. Blegh. Texture is a freaky thing.

But you know what? I was wrong. Because when done right, panna cotta is silky and creamy and just a tiny bit jiggly, but in a good way.

This Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Strawberry Crumble Topping is the perfect dessert to help you hold on to the last few weeks of summer. The buttermilk adds a bright tang, which the pinch of cinnamon adds a bit of depth and spice — a little foreshadowing of the months to come. And I know the markets aren’t exactly bursting with fresh strawberries anymore, but it was brought to my attention that I hadn’t made a single strawberry recipe this summer so I just couldn’t resist. And since, in my opinion, no creamy dessert is complete without a good crunch, I topped it all off with stovetop pecan crumble. Toasty crumble topping is my kryptonite.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta adapted from Bakeless Sweets by Faith Durand
Crumble Topping adapted from Dessert for Two

A Few Notes About This Recipe:

This recipe is designed to serve two people so it’s great for a date night in! BUT since it’s no bake and uses easy ratios, it can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. 

You should definitely still be able to find strawberries at your local grocery, but if not substitute with another late-summer fruit like blackberries. 

If you don’t have buttermilk you can substitute with whole or 2% milk instead. Nut or soy milk would work here as well, but the cream is important for the end texture of the dessert so don’t leave it out. For a dairy-free version you could use soy or coconut coffee creamer in place of the cream. 

Enjoy! XO, Katie

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