Welcome back to this space, friends! Stick around and have some yogurt panna cotta with lemon curd. I’ll even throw in a caramelized croissant for you!
I’m sorry for the unintentional hiatus over here – I had concepts and ideas for last week’s posts and life was so crazy and busy that I didn’t have a blink of free time to get anything done in this space. I hope you will forgive me if I give you a caramelized croissant and a delicious, healthy, easy spring brunch. These pictures make me so happy. They are bright and cheery…and deceiving. The little eggs you see, tricky, tricky, those are. They may look like soft boiled eggs, but the shells actually contain yogurt panna cotta with a lemon curd “yolk.”
Panna cotta looks and sounds like a fancy dessert, but it is really very simple to make. It is a good one to make to impress people with minimal effort. I will say putting these in eggshells takes more effort than the usual serving dish, but luckily you have the option to use either one and the result will still look beautiful. I love brunch and am always looking for a new dish to try or a new way to alter an existing favorite. This one nails both of those. Eggs are so common (and one of my favorite dishes) at brunch, and panna cotta is almost always a dessert, but combine the look of the eggs with yogurt panna cotta, and you have a new twist on brunch. Made with greek yogurt and skim milk and sweetened by honey, the yogurt panna cotta isn’t as sweet as it’s dessert counterpart, which makes it the perfect breakfast. The lemon curd ads a bit of tang and a bit of sweetness to each bite that pairs with the panna cotta. Both are best when delivered to the mouth by a caramelized croissant, used for dipping.
These caramelized croissants might need to become a staple in our brunches from now on. Look at those crispy layers and the golden sheen from the caramelized honey. Like the panna cotta, these look impressive but take little time and are so easy. They make a perfect pair to the yogurt panna cotta with lemon curd and are deliciously crisp, buttery and slightly sweet. The warm caramelized croissant pairs well with the cold panna cotta and lemon curd or on its own and takes this brunch option to the next level. I add a generous dollop of lemon curd to each serving of panna cotta. You can vary the amount based on your sweet tooth or add more honey to the panna cotta to make it a sweeter breakfast option. I like the panna cotta a little less sweet to balance the sweetness of the lemon curd and the caramelized croissants. We’re flexible here – It’s all up to you!
No one has to know how easy or quick it is – just sit back and let them be impressed by your gorgeous, delicious creations.
Yogurt Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd and Caramelized Croissants
Yogurt Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd
1 cup skim milk, divided (or your choice of milk)
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup greek yogurt
lemon curd, for serving
Caramelized Croissants
2 tablespoons butter
1 full-sized or 2 mini croissants, cut in half lengthwise
2-4 tablespoons honey
Yogurt Panna Cotta
Combine ½ cup cold milk with the gelatin in a small saucepan and let sit for 5 minutes to soften. Once the mixture is softened, place the pan over low heat and cook until the gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.
If you are planning to use eggshells as your serving “dishes,” see the instructions below on how to prepare eggshells.
In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining milk, vanilla and honey. Stir over medium heat until combined.
Add the gelatin mixture to the warm milk mixture and stir well. Remove from heat then stir in the greek yogurt until smooth. The mixture might take a lot of stirring to look smooth – that is normal.
Pour the yogurt gelatin mixture into small serving dishes and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until firm. When you are ready to serve, scoop out a spoonful or two of panna cotta and replace it with a spoonful of lemon curd. The panna cotta is not super sweet, so the lemon curd adds the perfect amount of sweetness. Add more if you want it to be sweeter.
To Prepare Eggshells for Panna Cotta
If you want to serve your yogurt panna cotta in eggshells instead of dishes, carefully crack the number of eggs you want to use near the top of the shell and remove the top portion. e
Remove the filmy lining from your eggshells and let them roll in boiling water for a few minutes to kill any germs.
Allow the shells to air dry before using. Use these as your serving dishes, pouring the liquid panna cotta mixture into them when it is ready. Use an egg carton to support the panna cotta eggs as they solidify and serve in individual egg cups alongside the caramelized croissant.
Caramelized Croissants
In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble. Add the croissant halves to the skillet and let them cook until toasted, about 2 minutes on each side. Once they are toasted, drizzle a bit of honey on each side and cook in the skillet again until the croissants are golden and caramelized on both sides, about 30 seconds to a minute per side. The honey can caramelize very quickly, so watch the croissants closely to prevent them from burning. Let cool slightly before serving alongside the panna cotta.
Caramelized croissant idea based on caramelized brioche in February 2016 Bon Appetit magazine
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