Sometimes a really rich dessert is needed to complement a special meal and other times lighter fare is more appealing. This panna cotta can be made with a range of coconut products to produce creamier or lighter results. The Greek yogurt adds a bit of tanginess to the finished dish.
Ingredients (Full fat version)
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 2 5.4 Ounce cans of coconut cream
- 4 mastiha tears ground in a mortar and pestle
- scant 2 Tablespoons of dark honey
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 Cups full fat Greek yogurt
- Fruit for topping
Directions
- Add the water to a cup and sprinkle the gelatin over it, stir with a spoon, and let sit to soften.
- In a small pot, put the coconut cream, mastiha, honey, and vanilla and bring to a simmer.
- Remove from the heat and allow mixture to sit for 30 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the top.
- Reheat the cream to warm (110 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer) and stir in the softened gelatin until melted and incorporated.
- Add the yogurt to a medium sized bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Whisk the cream mixture into the yogurt.
- Pour 1/2 cup of mixture into 6 small bowls, glasses, or ramekins.
- Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
- Serve with fresh fruit or a simmered fruit topping.
Notes
- For the full fat version, 1/2 cup is a very large serving. If the panna cotta is served after a large meal, try 1/3 cup servings instead.
- To make a lighter dessert, use 1 cup of thoroughly mixed regular or light coconut milk with 2 cups of yogurt
- To make a much lighter version, use 1 cup of boxed coconut drink with 2 cups of yogurt. This will be still be richer than a blanc mange but much lighter than panna cotta.
- Mastiha is a resin used in Greek cooking. Any sweet spice such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or allspice can be substituted to taste. Try adding ground fresh ginger for a zingy dessert.
- Unsweetened sour cherries cooked with a little cornstarch to thicken the juice makes an excellent topping for this dessert.
