“…a big part of cooking is choosing the ingredients.
And a big part of serving is doing it with pride”
Ruth Reichl
Mango Yogurt Panna Cotta…light & delicious
With the mango season finally upon us, it’s difficult to stay away from this sensuous fruit. It is enticing, it is mesmerising, & it is bursting with juicy sweetness. The season will last the next 3-4 months & I intend to use this luscious fruit as much as I can! I guess you will see quite a few mango posts, some healthy & others not entirely so, popping outta my blog this summer (it’s already 42 degrees C here; small mercies that mangoes don’t melt!!!)
Looks & tastes good…both in the bowl & upside down!
This is one such fruity adventure to herald the beginning of the mango season here, & is a healthy dessert…a satisfying fresh panna cotta; almost harbouring on the creamier edge of a flavoured yogurt but more indulgent! This post is specially for Chris @ Mele Cotte who is running theCooking to Combat Cancer event for the second year.
She has bravely combatted cancer, won the battle & this event is her small way to continue to promote cancer awareness. Her call is to “utilize recipes which include ingredients that help the body fight cancer. In short? Healthy recipes“…
…this one’s for you Chris!
There are strong indications that fruit and vegetable consumption does reduce cancer risk. The nutrients that have been determined most responsible for reducing cancer risk are vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Mango is one such fruit that has all 3! Did You Know?
Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins C and A, both important antioxidant nutrients. Vitamin C promotes healthy immune function and collagen formation. Vitamin A is important for vision and bone growth.
Mangoes are a good source of dietary fiber. Diets low in fat and high in fiber-containing grain products, fruits, and vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of some types of cancer.
Mangoes contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals.
Yogurt is listed as a very good source of calcium, phosphorous, riboflavin-vitamin B2 and iodine, but some of the most interesting health information about yogurt comes from a different context – its potential inclusion of live bacteria.Mangoes have been cultivated in India for about 5,000 years, and were originally small, fibrous fruits, somewhat like plums, with a taste like turpentine. The mango (Mangifera indica) is a tropical Asian tree of the cashew family. They are now grown extensively throughout the tropics, and are sometimes known as ‘the peach of the tropics.’ The spice amchoor is made from dried, ground unripe mangoes.More fresh mangos are eaten every day than any other fruit in the world.The ‘Paisley‘ design motif is a design from India based on the mango. (The paisley is my favourite motif).
Ingredients:
Thick Yogurt – 2 cups (I hang mine for 24 hours in the fridge to get rid of the whey) Low fat cream – 1 cup Gelatin – 3 tsp Mango pulp – of 2 mangoes Castor sugar if required Fruit slivers, pistachio nuts, mint leaves, chocolate curls etc to garnish
Method:
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cup of cream & allow to stand for 10-15 minutes / till it softens. Whisk well & strain into a big bowl.
Add the thick yogurt + mango puree to the bowl & whisk well. Adjust for sugar. Add some castor sugar if required.
Divide into 6-8 very lightly greased ramekins and refrigerate until firm, at least 3-4 hours. To unmould, dip ramekins in very hot water for a few seconds and invert onto plates.You might need to nudge the sides out with a butter knife first; otherwise garnish & serve in the bowl!
Since this is a yogurt based panna cotta, it doesn’t set as firmly as the full cream version…but is delicious nonetheless!
Serve with a drizzle of light cream, sliced fruit & pistachio nuts…or in bowls topped with chocolate curls, mango slivers, mint leaves, pistachio nuts etc.
A Light & Charming Dessert…with the goodness of mangoes!
Foolishly put the question across to the kids, asked them what they love to eat most….& nearly got run over in the ensuing melee. Sweet ranked supreme, & chocolate was the popular call..
“Chocolate pannacotta“sang the chorus!!
Did I have to ask? I seldom do because I like to keep rotating flavours, especially chocolaty ones, lest they get stuck on one. I asked today because Ben has a special kids event on for Food for Plastic Kidz as ‘Tupperware is celebrating April as Children’s month. The best part is that they are donating $1 from the sale of selected items to the Boys & Girls Clubs.‘This one’s specially for your event amigo. Ben’s event is interestingly about ‘food you enjoyed as kids, or foods which may be your kids favourite food’. I have a strange suspicion that the idea is fuelled by the kid in him, & I’m all game for it!
Favourite food =‘s DESSERT
This is one equation that hasn’t changed over time. What has changed is the choice of dessert. When we were young it was either a caramel custard or bread pudding, fruit cream or trifle, a rice pudding maybe or kulfi…a LOT of choice by my standards! I look at my kids today & think I’ve spoilt them for life with the choices they’ve been offered…YUM!! It’s not that I indulge them to extreme limits; it’s just that I enjoy trying different stuff & they are willing accomplices in the process. Who wouldn’t be?
My dear friend was over from Ukraine some time back & her kids preferred & only choice of dessert is chocolate, chocolate & chocolate. They were here to spend the day & I made sure I made it utterly chocolaty! They had Devil’s Food Cupcakes for tea with a chocolate ice-cream milk-shake…& when their mom joined us for dinner with their Nan that night, I wrapped their day up with this dessert! Their love for chocolate is HUGE, so I thought I’d make an indulgent dessert for them…Boy, were they thrilled!! My kids were over the moon too. My friend called as they drove out to say that the first thing her daughter said was to get the recipe!! What more can one ask for!!
I personalised the kids portions by piping their names over their servings…
…they loved the idea!
Dark Chocolate PannaCotta Recipe as adapted from Godiva
Ingredients:
Cream – 3 cups Gelatin – 3 1/2 tsps Powdered Sugar – 6 tbsps Dark Chocolate – 250 – 300gms (broken into pieces; adjust amount according to taste) Cocoa powder – 3 tbsps
Method:
Measure 3/4 cup cream in a liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle gelatin over cream and let stand at least 5 minutes or until ready to use to soften gelatin.
Mix sugar and cocoa powder in medium sauce pan. Whisk in remaining 2 1/4 cups heavy cream and place sauce pan over medium heat. Heat to a simmer. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Add gelatin mixture. Heat and whisk constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved (do not heat to a simmer). Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a big bowl. Adjust the sugar if desired. Pour into individual bowls. Refrigerate for about 3 hours or until set. Garnish with pistachios & chocolate shavings as desired.
Note: This is not a very truepannacotta; i.e. one which can be turned out. This one is silky, deep, smooth & luscious. It leaves a sense of sublime satisfaction!
Truly indulgent…bringing out the greedy little kid in us too!
“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Yogurt PannaCotta…the healthier Option!
My love for pannacotta knows no bounds. This is one versatile dessert & absolutely sublime. The regular pannacotta is indulgent, creamy & quite the best thing that happened to my list of desserts recently. You can find my previous pannacotta posts here (Coffee) & here (Strawberry). Who can resist a pannacotta…& with a fruity, tangy lime sauce? YUM!!
Nutmeg flavouring the sauce…
This time I made it healthier too…by substituting a part of the cream with yogurt. It’s adapted from a recipe I chanced by while at Baking Bites & was sold on the idea. This recipe is one that can make an appearance more often, without me feeling guilty of so many calories. ( I have to add that DH loves the ‘authentic’ Italian one…he says that’s the real thing! Hmmmph, so much for my healthy attempt…but he lapped this one up nevertheless.)
This is a lovely healthy option of pannacotta…& is on its way to a delightful event…A Tasty Tools Blogging event! Every foodie is passionate about kitchen tools; adding taste to passion is Joelen @ Joelen’s Culinary Adventures. The focus this month is on the kitchen grater and “microplane”. These tools do a fine job grating spices, cheeses, various vegetables, etc.
Microplaner…my dream come true
I love it…the microplaner has taken precedence over all tools in my kitchen & is currently holding 1st place. I used it here for the lime rind, & used the nutmeg grater to grate some fresh nutmeg for the lime sauce ( recipe from All Recipes) ! Great fun for a GRATE event!!
Spice Grater…
Onto the ‘grate‘ recipe then…using my tasty tools!!
For the Yogurt PannaCotta
Ingredients:
Greek Yogurt – 2 cups (I used hung nonfat curd)
Cream – 1/2 cup (low fat) Buttermilk – 1/2 cup (or half cup milk with 1 tsp vinegar; left to stand for 10 minutes)
Gelatin – 3 tsp
Water – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 4- 5 tbsp
Lemon extract – 1/2 tsp
Rind of 2 limes
Method:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt + cream + buttermilk.
In a small bowl, combine gelatin and water. Microwave gelatin and water for about 30-45 seconds, until gelatin is melted.
Stir in sugar, lemon extract & zest.
Whisk gelatin mixture thoroughly into yogurt mix.
Divide into 6-8 very lightly greased ramekins and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
To unmould, dip ramekins in very hot water for a few seconds and invert on to plates.
For the lime dessert sauce:
White sugar – 1/2 cup Cornstarch – 1 tbsp Salt – 1/8 tsp Freshly grated nutmeg – 1/4 tsp Boiling water – 1 cup Butter – 1tbsp Zest of 1-2 limes Juice of 1-2 limes (as tangy as you want it) Yellow food colour
Method:
In large saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg.
Gradually stir in boiling water, then simmer over low heat until thick, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon zest, lemon juice & colour, if desired, and cool.
Drizzle the cold sauce over the unmouldedpannacotta, garnish with a sprig of fresh mint
