I wanted to make a dessert that would be perfect for serving at the end of a nice dinner, say, for example, a fancy homecooked Valentines Day meal?
So this is what I came up with. Honey Yogurt Panna Cotta with a Blood Orange Sauce. Just the colors alone make it a visually stunning dessert and you can bet your buttons that it tastes just as stunning.
Blood Oranges are in season right now, until about March(at least in my corner of the world) and I knew I just HAD to work them into a dessert. I mean, they must be one of the most lovely fruits out there. The deep red color is so beautiful and I love the flavor….just a bit sweeter than your average orange. Have you tried blood oranges before?
Panna Cotta is the perfect make ahead dessert. You can make it the day before you want to serve it, then on the day of, whip together the simple sauce, unmold the panna cotta, add sauce, and serve! If you are one who likes to prepare a nice meal on Valentines day, this dessert is perfect for that because you can make it the day before so that you can put all of your energy into the actual meal. Who doesn’t love that?!
The secret to a good panna cotta? Adding only the minimum amount of gelatin. Just enough to let it hold it’s shape, but not so much that you feel like your eating a bowl of jello. This recipe has the perfect balance, I assure you. The yogurt is so creamy and tangy, while the honey adds just the right amount of sweetness. It goes perfectly with the blood orange sauce and isn’t too heavy.
If you’ve never made a panna cotta, you should try this! Don’t be scared! If you are worried about unmolding the panna cotta, I suggest keeping it in a ramekin and then simply spooning the sauce on top. It will still look lovely.
I am Guest Posting today over at Just Between Friends, so head on over here for the Blood Orange Sauce recipe!
- 1½ C. Honey Greek Yogurt
- 2 T. fresh Lemon Juice
- ¼ C. Water
- 1 T. Gelatin(powdered)
- 1½ C. Almond or Coconut Milk
- ¼ C. Honey
- 1 recipe Blood Orange Sauce
- Mint leaves, to garnish
- Place the honey yogurt and the lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Pour the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let the gelatin bloom for at least 5 minutes.
- Place the milk and honey in a saucepan and bring just to a simmer. Add the bloomed gelatin to the milk and whisk in until it has fully dissolved.
- Pour ½ of the milk mixture into the bowl of yogurt and mix until combined and smooth. Add the remaining milk mixture and whisk until incorporated.
- Divide the mixture between 8-10 silicone molds, or 8 ramekins.
- Chill for at least 3 hours, or until set.
- To serve: Unmold the panna cottas onto small plate(dip the outside of the mold in hot water and invert) and then spoon the blood orange sauce around the panna cottas. Top with a few ribbons of mint leaf. Serve cold.
