Orange Yogurt Panna Cotta
January is an exciting time at The Fruit Company. As the holidays wind down and people get back from vacations, it is a great time to reflect on the previous seasons and prepare for the New Year. It also is the time for great citrus, and the chance to try out some of our favorite varieties is always a treat. Every one of our HarvestClub clubs in January features a different citrus fruit from our juicy Navel Oranges to our exotic Blood Oranges. We also have an assortment of Grapefruit, Satsuma Mandarins, and Honeybells. With all this citrus, employees usually end up purchasing more than a few boxes to take home.
Since it is January, we could discuss the health benefits of fresh citrus or the ways to use fresh squeezed orange juice, but let’s focus on something a little more decadent. Our Orange Yogurt Panna Cotta uses orange peel to flavor this creamy and delicious dessert; a perfect use for those citrus leftovers that so often get thrown away.
This recipe is easy to make and extremely rewarding. It is very rich, and best eaten in small quantities or shared with friends, family or coworkers. It also makes a great party dish as it can be made the night before and kept cool in the refrigerator while it sets.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (a 1 1/4 oz envelope)
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 strips orange peel (about ½ inch wide an 2 to 3 inches long)
- 1 2/3 cups plain yogurt
- About 1/2 teaspoon salad oil
Preparation
1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cream. Gently mix and then let stand without stirring, until gelatin is soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pour remaining 1 3/4 cups cream into a 1- to 2-quart pan over medium heat. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream, then add the bean (if using vanilla extract, add after yogurt, below), sugar, and orange peel; stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is simmering. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour into a large bowl. Remove vanilla bean and orange peel and let cool 10 minutes. Add yogurt (and vanilla extract, if using) and stir until well blended.
3. Lightly brush a 4-cup tube mold (or eight 1/2-cup molds) with oil; pour cream mixture into mold. Cover and chill until set, 8 hours or up to 2 days.
4. Just before serving, unmold: Gently run a knife between panna cotta and sides of mold to loosen. Invert a plate over mold and, holding plate and mold together, turn over; lift off mold. If panna cotta doesn’t slip out easily, immerse mold to just below rim in warm water for about 2 seconds; lift out, dry bottom of mold, and repeat to invert onto plate.
Recipe courtesy of myrecipes.com
