Need a serious caffeine boost but craving for something sweet at the same time? I suggest you try an espresso con panna.
Espresso con panna, or espresso with cream, will give you the caffeine boost that only espresso can give in one small satisfying shot and at the same time tickle your taste buds with the hot and cold medley from the contrast between the cream on top and the coffee at the bottom.
If you plan on getting a good espresso con panna, like the one in the photo up there (which coffee-addict Noemi Ruth swore the me it definitely is), make sure you don’t go for watered-down versions that some coffee shops serve. Stay away from their espresso con panna if you see the barista taking out his canned whipped cream, which might be less fattening than old-fashioned hand-whipped heavy cream, but won’t give you the same satisfying creamy goodness of a properly whipped cold cream.
You can also make espresso con panna at home quite easily. All you need to do is to whip up some cold heavy cream and add your whipped cream on top of a freshly brewed single or double shot of espresso (a 3oz shot should be enough to start your day right). You can add a tablespoon of sugar or a drop of vanilla extract on the cold cream before you whip it up, depending on sweet you want your whipped cream to be. It’s also a good idea to make more than you need for a couple of espresso shots and just store the rest in your fridge for your next espresso con panna.
Photo via NoemiRuth
Originally posted on February 19, 2012 @ 11:49 am