Lu'an Gua Pian Chestnut Panna Cotta
A silky panna cotta infused with Lu'an Gua Pian and sweet chestnut—the tea's natural roasted nuttiness amplifies the chestnut for a quietly elegant dessert.
Lu'an Gua Pian's toasty, chestnut-like sweetness makes it a natural partner for actual chestnut in a delicate panna cotta. Steeping the leaves in warm cream draws out the tea's roasted depth, which then echoes and lifts the sweet chestnut purée folded through the custard.
Because the tea is low in astringency, it infuses cleanly without turning the cream bitter, even with a generous steep. The result is a pale, fragrant set custard with a gentle green-tea aroma on the finish.
Strain the infused cream carefully so the panna cotta stays glassy and smooth. A light hand with the gelatin keeps the texture barely set and luxurious, the way the best versions wobble on the spoon.
Serve chilled with a spoonful of chestnut purée and a few toasted chestnut pieces on top. It's a refined, lightly sweet finish to a meal—comforting but never heavy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 tbsp Lu'an Gua Pian leaves
- 1/3 cup sweetened chestnut purée, plus extra to serve
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp powdered gelatin
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- A few cooked chestnuts, chopped, for garnish
How to make it
- 1Bloom the gelatin in 3 tbsp cold water and set aside.
- 2Warm the cream and milk until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat, add the Lu'an Gua Pian leaves, cover, and steep 8 minutes.
- 3Strain out the leaves, then whisk in the sugar, chestnut purée, and vanilla until smooth.
- 4Gently reheat until warm, then stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved.
- 5Pour into 4 ramekins or glasses and refrigerate at least 4 hours until set.
- 6Serve topped with a spoonful of chestnut purée and chopped chestnuts.
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