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Yogurt Panna Cotta

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Vanilla yogurt panna cotta feels like a sophisticated dessert, but it is really a simple make ahead recipe. Top it with fruit for an extra special treat.

close up of dark chocolate bowls filled with vanilla yogurt panna cotta and topped with pomegranate arils.

Creamy yogurt panna cotta is the perfect mix of slightly sweet and slightly tangy.  It is super smooth and fun to eat.  Serve it in a dark chocolate bowl or fancy glass and top it with fruit for a super special dessert.

Do you have a list of recipes you want to try but just haven’t had the chance yet? My list seems to always be growing and changing.

Panna cotta had been on my must try list for quite some time.  Something about the creamy but almost firm texture seemed so interesting.

When I finally decided to give it a go, I was so excited.  I read recipe after recipe, review after review and finally settled on a path to take.

martini glasses filled with creamy white panna cotta and topped with yellow passion fruit.

To avoid the too sweet complaints of some reviewers, I kept the sugar on the lower side. Plus a little tang from the yogurt helped to balance it out.

After a little tweaking, the perfect panna cotta was born. It is simple to make, no bake and make ahead. So it is perfect for a party!

We tried our panna cotta trials a couple of different ways and both were fabulous.   There are so many fun ways you could serve it, the possibilities are endless!

Making the panna cotta

The first step to making the panna cotta is blooming the gelatin in milk. You want to use one packet of unflavored gelatin for this.

gelatin blooming on top of milk in saucepan.

Once the gelatin is bloomed, add the cream and sugar. Cook slowly until everything is dissolved.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in some vanilla and yogurt. I used whole milk vanilla yogurt, but plain or Greek yogurt should work as well.

yogurt panna cotta mixture in saucepan, cooling and ready to be spooned into serving glasses.

Great options for serving yogurt panna cotta

The easiest way to make a visual impact while serving your panna cotta is to use nice glassware. I used stemless martini glasses, but an old fashioned champagne glass or wine glass would also be fabulous.

yogurt panna cotta in stemless martini glasses.

Just ladle the slightly cooled panna cotta mixture into the glasses and chill until firm. We topped ours with passion fruit to continue the sweet and tart theme.

However you could top it with any fresh fruit. Lemon curd or blood orange curd would also be delicious toppings.

We also tried panna cotta in dark chocolate shells and those were amazing. Topped with pomegranate arils, they made for a stunning visual and even better flavor.

I just brushed the inside of a silicone mold with melted dark chocolate and let it sit to harden.  Once the panna cotta mixture was cooled to room temperature, I scooped it into the molds and immediately put it in the refrigerator.

dark chocolate bowls filled with yogurt panna cotta and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

After a couple of hours they were set. So I popped them out of the molds.

A sprinkling of pomegranate arils added both flavor and visual appeal. I’d happily order one of these beauties at a restaurant.

My guys went crazy over them. To be honest, it was love at first bite for me as well.

Looking down on passion fruit topped vanilla yogurt panna cotta with empty passion fruit shell and some fresh passion fruit nearby.

If you like Italian inspired no bake desserts, you may also like cornmeal budino with blueberry marmellata. It is another not overly sweet way to end the meal.

Glass filled with smooth white yogurt panna cotta topped with yellow passion fruit.

Yogurt Panna Cotta

Carlee
Vanilla yogurt panna cotta feels like a sophisticated dessert, but it is really a simple make ahead recipe. Top it with fruit for an extra special treat.
5 from 6 ratings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 292 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 packet unflavored gelatin 2½ teaspoons
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup yogurt vanilla or plain

Instructions
 

  • Pour milk into a medium saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over the top and let bloom for 3-5 minutes.
    1 cup whole milk, 1 packet unflavored gelatin
  • Cook over medium-low heat until it just starts to steam and gelatin dissolves. (Don’t let it boil)
  • Add cream, vanilla and sugar.  Continue to heat and stir until it starts to steam again. Still don’t let it boil. 
    2 cups heavy whipping cream, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the yogurt until creamy and smooth. 
    1 cup yogurt
  • Spoon into cups and chill for at least 3 hours or until set.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 51mgSugar: 18g
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Recipe Rating




Amy

Thursday 17th of October 2019

This sounds delicious!

Valentina

Monday 14th of October 2019

What a delicious idea to serve panna cotta with some tropical fruit flavors! I am also loving the sweet chocolate cups!

Carlee

Friday 18th of October 2019

They were so yummy!

Lisa

Sunday 13th of October 2019

Delicious dessert that I must try

Carlee

Friday 18th of October 2019

you really should.

Cindy Kerschner

Saturday 12th of October 2019

Blood orange curd and pomegranate sounds like a great combo!

Carlee

Friday 18th of October 2019

They would be fabulous together!

Hezzi-D

Saturday 12th of October 2019

This looks lovely with the passion fruit on top!

Carlee

Friday 18th of October 2019

It was a yummy combo!