Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Blackberry Compote

In all my dessert-loving years, panna cotta never called to me—until yesterday. For some strange reason, I felt compelled to make it. What tipped the scales? The Greek yogurt. We always buy the big carton, but with only two of us, it sets off a quiet mental countdown—how many days do we really have before it turns? That, plus it's very hot right now and I liked the idea of something with fruit. So here we are: the first Cookie Madness panna cotta. Like so many things, it's a dessert I am looking forward to making again!

What is Panna Cotta?

So what is panna cotta exactly? Panna cotta, which translates to "cooked cream", is a creamy custard usually accompanied by some sort of fresh fruit or sauce or combination of the two. The closest I've ever been to a real panna cotta out in the wild was when I was in a cooking competition sharing a kitchen with a friend who made a lightened version with a Zinfandel sauce. I had already nailed down my panna cotta recipe, but couldn't decide if I should go dig up Camilla's sauce recipe or just heat berries with sugar and lemon juice. Simplicity won, plus I had berries from a nearby farm and didn't feel like they needed a Zinfandel sauce.

Texture and Flavor

This is a good basic recipe. It uses just enough gelatin to hold its shape without being rubbery, and the balance of honey and vanilla gives it a soft, mellow sweetness that plays well with tart toppings. You do taste the yogurt, but the cream makes it feel rich and dessert-like. As for the vanilla, if you have some vanilla bean paste this is an excellent way to use it, but extract is fine too. The bit of lemon ties it all together, but orange zest might also!

Anyhow, I truly will make this again. Panna cotta requires only a handful of ingredients, and there’s no need to turn on the oven. It sets up in the fridge in just a few hours and is endlessly customizable. Top it with fresh berries, drizzle with honey, or go fancy with roasted fruit, lemon curd or a sauce made with wine. We both really liked this one, and I appreciate that the recipe is so easily scalable. It's designed to make 6, but you can make a third of it and have dessert for 2.

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Recipe

Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Blackberry Compote

Anna

This cool and creamy Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta is an easy no-bake summer dessert that's light, elegant, and customizable. This version calls for honey, but you can also use maple syrup.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Chill Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

 

• 2 ¼ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water (28 grams)
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream (280 grams)
• ⅓ cup honey (110 grams)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanlila
• 1 ½ cups full fat Greek yogurt, lightly drained if there's liquid
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

Blackberry Compote

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
• 2 ½ tablespoons sugar (35 grams)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (14 grams)
• ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest or more to taste
• 1 pinch cinnamon or cardamom (optional)

Instructions

 

• In a custard cup, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water. Let it bloom for 5 minutes.
• Spray 6 custard cups lightly with cooking spray or avocado oil spray (your favorite kind) if you plan to unmold. If you'd rather, you can serve them in cute ramekins of custard cups and just skip the unmolding part.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and honey. Heat over medium-low, stirring until the honey dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling.
• Remove from heat and scrape in the bloomed gelatin. Whisk until fully dissolved.
• Let the mixture cool for about 5 to 10 minutes, then whisk in the Greek yogurt, vanilla and lemon zest. Continue to whisk until smooth.
• Pour into the custard cups and chill for at least 4 hours, or until set.
• Unmold onto plates and spoon the blackberry compote over before serving.

Blackberry Compote

• Put the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries just barely begin to break down and release their juices, about 5 minutes.
• If you'd like it thicker, simmer a few minutes longer or mash some of the berries with a spoon. Remove from heat and add the cinnamon or cardamom if using.
• Let cool slightly, then chill before serving. This should keep in the refrigerator for at least 3 days.

Notes

To unmold panna cotta, dip the ramekin in warm water for a few seconds and gently run a knife around the edge before inverting.
You can make these a day in advance—just cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Keyword blackberries, No-Bake, Panna Cotta

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