Espresso con Panna is Italian for “espresso with cream.” Traditionally, espresso con panna uses heavy cream whipped by hand on top of a shot of espresso to make a thick, creamy layer on top of the espresso. You get a delicious rush of coffee when you break through the cream layer that is sweet and smooth and a real treat.
Whip the cream. We know using an electric mixer isn’t the most traditional way to make espresso con panna, but we think it’s fair to tweak the rules a little bit. An electric mixer makes this so much easier, and there isn’t any difference in the result compared to using a hand mixer. There is an art to getting the right consistency, and you’ll get better the more you practice. A good stopping point is when you see the cream starting to form well-defined peaks.
Now it's time to pull a shot of espresso. The heart of espresso con panna is the espresso. If you don’t have an excellent shot, you’re not going to have a great experience. All of the usual espresso details matter here, with tamping and dosing having the largest effects.
Top the espresso with cream. Be gentle with this step. You want the whipped cream to sit on top of the shot rather than be submerged and mixed into the espresso.