Yoghurt panna cotta with blackberry coulis
Panna cotta literally means cooked cream in Italian. This version of this traditional dessert uses low-fat yoghurt and skimmed milk to make for a much healthier option. Served with a tasty blackberry coulis, you will hardly notice that this dessert is in fact fully wholesome!
Gelatine sheets can be used instead of powder, follow the instructions on the packet. This recipe requires a minimum of 2 hours chilling and can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. powdered gelatine
- 100 ml. skimmed milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 100 gr. low-fat yoghurt
- 10-15 blackberries
- A little icing sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, place 2 tablespoons of the skimmed milk and sprinkle the gelatine on top. Leave to soak for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat the remaining milk, with the split vanilla pod and sugar on a medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and stir through the gelatine, then mix through the yoghurt.
- Lightly brush a ramekin with olive oil and place the yoghurt mixture inside.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- For the coulis, place the blackberries in a pan on a low heat with a tablespoon of water. Heat slowly until the fruit has fully softened, adding more water if needed. Add a little bit of icing sugar to give a shiny gloss to the coulis and pass it through a sieve.
- To serve, dip the ramekin three-quarters of the way in warm water and invert onto a plate. Pour the coulis around the panna cotta, decorate with a blackberry and serve.
Notes
Vanilla is a flavour derived from orchids and is the second most expensive spice after saffron. Long reputed to be a potent aphrodisiac, there is no real research on the health benefits of consuming vanilla. However, the fact that the potent flavouring imparted by vanilla reduces the amount of sugar needed to sweeten a dish, means that this expensive spice is worth keeping in stock. The expensive vanilla pod could be replaced by (slightly less expensive) vanilla extract, but keep in mind that this is usually an alcohol-based solution and the alcohol is not cooked off at all in the process.
Yoghurt is a fermented milk product, produced by adding yoghurt cultures to milk, which is believed to have many health benefits. As a milk product, yoghurt is a good source of calcium of course, which together with Vitamin D is important in good bone health. Yoghurt that contains probiotics is believed to aid your gut. And for those that want to limit their calorie intake without feeling hungry, yoghurt may help you feel fuller.