It’s been a few weeks! But I’m here today and ready to showcase a wonderful and simple dessert I prepared a little while back. With all the rain and grey skies present I thought I would cheer up my mood (and my friends) with something “pretty in pink”. Nothing wrong with admitting you like pink, by the way! Add some simple flowers to the equation and voila! Instant cheer. I’m talking about that addictive Italian dessert, known as panna cotta.
Traditionally it’s made with cream and the words “panna cotta” literally translate as cooked cream. I’ve upped the ante here and made mine by using some natural Greek yoghurt and topping it with a quick sauce made of poached dried prunes. The yoghurt (and a little cream) are flavoured with vanilla and the topping was made by poaching the prunes in a little red wine, honey, cinnamon and cloves. It really is very easy. I prepared these the night before my dinner party and took them out of the fridge just before I served dessert. There was applause all round and the flavours had really set well. I also went against tradition and served them in small glasses as opposed to “unmoulding” them and serving them on a plate. If you really wanted to make them extra special you could add a nice, thick dollop of cream before serving…I’ll leave you to make that choice.
RECIPE FOR PANA COTTA
serves 6
- 2 cups of Greek yoghurt
- 1 cup of cream
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half and scraped
- 1 sachet of gelatine (10 grams)
- 1/4 cup of lukewarm water
- Place the gelatin in the 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Set aside.
- Place the cream, the split and scraped vanilla bean (with all those lovely black specks) and sugar in a sauce pan and warm it through on a low heat until the sugar has melted.
- Remove the vanilla bean and add the cream mixture to the yoghurt along with the gelatine mixture and whisk thoroughly until everything is dissolved.
- Pour the mixture into 6 “one cup” capacity glasses, ensuring to leave a little room on top to add the prune mixture.
PLACE IN THE FRIDGE FOR 3 HOURS OR UNTIL SET. ONCE THIS HAS SET ADD THE PRUNE SAUCE (recipe follows)
RECIPE FOR POACHED PRUNES
- 2 cups of dried, pitted prunes
- 2 cups of red wine
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 4 cloves
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on a low heat. Allow the wine to reduce by half. Remove from the heat and cover. Leave for about an hour to cool and then add the prunes and wine to a food processor (minus the cinnamon stick and cloves) and blend to a fine puree. Add to the set panna cotta and place back in the fridge to further allow the prune sauce to set. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
I am a pannocotta fan. I just love the soft texture of it and this looks really yumm with the topping.
Love the picture with the flowers. Beautiful.
I’ve never tried a panna cotta with yogurt–that’s a great idea especially since summer is here and some extra pounds really need to come off. The poached prunes sound delightful; the wine takes them above and beyond I am sure.
Your photos as always are absolutely lovely. The whole set-up (tablecloth, flowers, spoons, cups, etc.) is gorgeous. Definitely cheerful and uplifting!
I love the first shot of this post, not that the others are bad, but the first is simply beautiful!
But also the pannacotta is great, I never thought about using prunes (I usually use raspberries) while instead greek yogurth is perfect when you want to keep this kind of food to becoming too fattening.
You’re always a source of inspiration.
OK, I just made a mid-year resolution – learn how to style and photograph like Peter! Hey if you can I would LOVE it if you could take part in a little event I am hosting. Please, please, please? (OK, enough begging) I am on a mission to unite the gluten-free food bloggers with the rest of the food blogging world – Check it out http://simplygluten-free.blogspot.com/2009/05/go-ahead-honey-its-gluten-free-june.html
Wow Peter! I really love love love this dessert, and I can guarantee you that I will be making it this summer. I love the use of Greek yogurt in it – sounds just divine!
You were missed! Beautiful work as usual. I’m particularly fond of your choice to use poached prunes.
Love pannacotta & since i make it often i use the yogurt too for the sake of health. the prune sounds really really good!
I love the flavor and texture of panna cotta. With the poached prunes, this dessert must have been heaven. The photo of the bright flowers floating in the bowl of water most definitely brightens my day! Lovely recipe and beautiful photos.
It’s pouring buckets here. I could certainly use some cheering. This would do the trick for sure. I have some goat milk yogurt that would be perfect. The poached prunes sound fabulous!!
Oh, wonderful! These panna cotta must taste heavenly!
I love your pictures! The light is beautiful…
Cheers,
Rosa
Of course there’s nothing wrong with being…arrrg liking pink :-p Pannacota and prunes sound delicious together in a dessert. Yum!
These photos are so gorgeous…I grew up with those flowers all around me, I miss them, I almost want to jump in that blue dish
I wonder if I can make panna cotta w/out gelatin!
Knock-out dessert Peter. The prunes must be super-ripe at this of year down there and the Greek yogurt in the pannacotta…earthy, creamy – a delight.
i love the look of this – this kind of dessert is served at the end of a meal in some restaurants in crete
I really like that you did not unmold the panna cotta. Great idea with the yogurt, i will have to try it!
I adore this recipe, Peter. The photos are absolutely lovely, as well.
I love, love, love panna cotta, but all that cream makes me feel at a point that I can never indulge. This looks like a far better idea, and I love anything that involved prunes.
Delicious.
This is such a lovely dessert, Peter! I love prunes but I’ve never had them poached. Looks delicious.
I like pink and I like prunes, so this sounds like a good one. I like the way you’ve used yoghurt too. Is it tangy?
I am little speechless Peter…the photography is superb and the recipe just makes me wish I had made a batch this afternoon!!
There was a desire to save his little spoon … delicious … Bonjour de France
I will put you in my favorites, I will return with an enormous pleasure, I craque any home … kiss France
Oh yum yum yummers. I adore panna cotta but have never had it with a prune puree – I’ll bet it’s fantastic. I can’t get Greek yogurt here in Japan – maybe I’ll drain some plain natural yogurt and let it thicken up instead. What do you think? Would that work?
The flowers are such a beautiful dainty touch.
Your photos are gorgeous as always and I can imagine how lovely this pana cotta tasted.
Pretty pretty pretty and even prettier! I’ve always found panna cotta to be a delicious but super-easy dessert and yours look so pretty and yum!
I’ve written it on Flickr but can’t resist doing it here too, Pete – your photos are breathtaking! I love the delicate mood. Beautiful, my friend.
Oh my…I think I like your panna cotta better than my panna cotta!!!!!
I’ve seen it made with mascarpone, never with yogurt before. What a great concept! I’m going to try it!
And the poached prunes… I’m in love with them!
“upped the anti” indeed! Panna Cotta is one of my favorites, and your version here just plain rocks. Lovely photos.
Gorgeous photos, as always, and the panna cota looks divine. Yum!
Mr. G,
Thank you for the yogurt recipe. I heard that yogurt is very healthy food that we should eat on the regular basis. Thanks again for posting.
see you next post.
-Green
http://www.ahacook.com
Your photography is soooooooo beautiful Peter! I love them all
. What are you loving more? Cooking or taking the pictures? I’m having a dilema here ;D. If you ever come to Barcelona… I’ll make the Paella and you make the Panna cota for dessert… deal?
Let’s go Pink!!!!
Prunes have never looked so sexy! Your photography just keeps getting better and better. Amazing photos.
Ah, someone else who loves poached prunes. They must be so lovely on this panna cotta. I can’t wait to try it myself.
I finally found some authentic Greek yogurt at Pike Market in Seattle. It is all gone or I would have loved to try this dessert, of course I still can:D
I love the pink Peter. I think the entire series is so pleasant and alive, love the frangipanis ! specially the reflection on the water. A gr8 visual treat
Dont think i’ve ever had prune panna cotta … sounds delicious!
I am drooling all over these photographs! Fan-tas-tique! I’m hooked!
Lovely pictures, and I love Greek yoghurt!
^^ XOXO
MMMMMMMMMMMM,…what a lovely panna cotta with the prunes,…just fab!