Τhis desserts reminds me of yogurt, fruit and honey served everywhere in Greece and the islands. Summery, fresh, cool, gorgeous and light-ish, this yogurt panna cotta is your answer to summer cravings with less guilt.
Yogurt replaces most of the cream in this recipe of the classic Italian dessert, making you look better in any calorie consumption discussion (I never talk about these things but in case you do…).
You can change the cream-yogurt ratio for a lighter version and replace the nectarines with peaches or use a combination of nectarines and grapes. This dessert is actually more delicious than creamy panna cotta. And so fresh with all that fruit nestled in jelly.
Don’t forget the vanilla pod. It gives so much flavour and cute black spots.
Panna Cotta with yoghurt and nectarines
Ingredients
For the vanilla cream
- 1 sachet of gelatine granules, 10 grams
- 60 ml ¼ cup water, cold or at room temperature
- 400 ml cream
- 120 grams sugar, granulated
- 2 tsp vanilla essence, or vanilla paste
- 60 grams honey
- 300 grams strained yoghurt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- A little oil to grease the mould
For the fruit layer
- 1 sachet of gelatine granules, 10 grams
- 60 ml ¼ cup water, cold or at room temperature
- 2 large nectarines, approx. 470 g with pit, finely diced
- 40 grams sugar, granulated
- 40 grams honey
- 200 ml peach or orange juice
Instructions
Make the vanilla cream
- Put the gelatine granules in a small bowl and pour the water over it. Let it stand until needed.
- Place the cream and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Just before it comes to a boil, remove from heat and add the bloomed gelatine. Whisk until gelatine is completely dissolved. Mix in the vanilla and honey. Stir well.
- Pass the cream through a sieve into a bowl. Add the yogurt and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
- Lightly oil a pannacotta mould. Pour in the cream mixture and transfer to the refrigerator to set. This takes about 2 hours.
Make the fruit layer
- Put the gelatine granules in a small bowl and pour the water over it. Let it stand until needed.
- In a bowl, mix the chopped nectarines with the sugar and honey. Set aside.
- Place half of the peach juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to steam, add the gelatine and stir until it dissolves.
- Pour the remaining peach juice and the juice/gelatine mixture over the nectarines. Mix well..
- Use a spoon to transfer the fruit and its juice over the vanilla cream, which should be completely set. Transfer the mould back to the fridge until the fruit jelly has set (at least 4 hours, better over-night)
- To serve, invert the cream onto a serving platter. Unmold the panna cotta and serve.
