Honeyed Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta, Creamy but Skinny!*

Crazy about this…it’s not just delicious, it’s fabulously lean. Traditional panna cotta, three parts heavy cream to one part whole milk, has nearly as much fat per serving as ½ cup butter! while this recipe has close to ½ teaspoon butter. You don’t miss the fat because Greek-style yogurt is so creamy. And it's a breeze to make. Also, for guests, it’s prepared ahead of time. Usually panna cotta is unmolded, but I like to eat it out of a bowl or goblet smothered with fruit. If you serve it within a few hours of chilling—to the point where the gelatin has thickened but not quite gelled—it’s creamiest.
I love this for lunch sprinkled with blueberries or raspberries, just leaning against the garden door watching the birds at the feeder squabbling over their black sunflower seeds. And of course it’s a classic dessert…
That this is healthy should be kept a secret…
Most recipes say this quantity serves 8. Stingy. My sleek little custard cups are broad, shallow, and hold 6 ounces…filling them almost full makes this serve 5…an odd yield, but one can’t stop eating this cream, and I’d be annoyed if I got less…
Place 1 cup of 1% or 2% milk in a quart-size microwave-proof pitcher. Sprinkle over 2 slightly rounded teaspoons plain gelatin (actually 2-1/16 teaspoons, less than 1 envelope). Stir to blend, then ignore for 10 minutes while the milk absorbs the gelatin.
Stir again, cover the pitcher tightly with plastic film, and microwave on full power for 1 minute (about 135 degrees on the instant read thermometer) to dissolve the gelatin. Stir in 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract—or cut a 2-inch piece of vanilla bean and slit it down the side, scrape in the seeds, stir to blend thoroughly, breaking up any knots of seeds with a spoon against the side of the bowl. I must say the teeny specks call out, “Real vanilla here! Yum!”
Bit by bit, whisk in 2 cups (16 ounces) plain non-fat or low-fat Greek-style yogurt, then ¼ cup honey (the stronger the flavor, the better).
Divide the cream among 5 or 6—or 8!—dishes or goblets, leaving at least ¼-inch headroom. Cover each tightly with film, not touching the pristine surface, and chill.
This is ready to serve after 3 hours…can be unmolded after 4 hours…and will still be tender the next day.
Serve in the dishes or goblets topped with fresh fruit—about 3 to 4 cups berries or chunks of peaches, apricots, plums, or a mixture, and so forth. If you’re deft, you can unmold each dish** onto a pool of coulis (aka sweetened pureed fruit) and top with more fruit.
Once when I had one dish left in the fridge and nary a berry or piece of fresh fruit in the house (oh well, I had a banana, but I hate bananas and only buy them because I’m supposed to, they always turn brown, I always think, “I’ll make banana bread for my mother,” but I never do, I throw them over the fence into the meadow and hope some creature will enjoy very soft banana), I brought out a jar of Mixed Berry Jam from the farmers’ market, spooned over its purpliness. Oh boy. Winter’s panna cotta will be delish…
*Inspired by the recipe in a “Nutrition Action Healthletter."
**Google "unmolding panna cotta"…