Low-Calorie Panna Cotta With Plum Sauce
Traditional panna cotta is a rich, indulgent dessert made with heavy cream and milk. But I’ve reworked the formula, lowering the calories, boosting the protein, and keeping all the pleasure. The result is a lighter panna cotta made with yogurt that brings a fresh tang and opens up a whole new field for flavor experiments.
I’m not the biggest fan of overt yogurt flavor in desserts, so I balance it with strong aromatics: lemon zest, warming spices, a splash of alcohol. It works beautifully. Add roasted seasonal plums on top, and this becomes a knockout combo of creamy, tangy, sweet, and spiced.
The classic panna cotta is heavy on cream and light on nutrition. This version keeps the texture but swaps in yogurt for more protein and a lighter feel.
When made with erythritol or allulose, this dessert fits well into a low-carb lifestyle.It’s naturally lower in sugar, with no flour or starches involved.
You get protein from yogurt, lower calories, and real fruit instead of syrupy sauces. It’s a dessert that actually does your body some favors, without sacrificing flavor!
Recipe
Low-Calorie Panna Cotta With Plum Sauce
Ingredients
Panna Cotta
- 400 ml milk
- 160 g Plain Yogurt
- 4 Gelatin Sheets or 1 packet of powdered gelatin
- 3 tbsp Erythritol or Sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick or a pinch ground cinnamon
- Zest of 1 lemon use peel strips for easy removal
- A pinch of salt
- Vanilla extract to taste
- 1 tsp splash of liqueur e.g. amaretto, dark rum
Plum Sauce
- 3 tbsp allulose or sugar
- 500 g plums halved
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Panna Cotta
- Soak the gelatin: Place gelatin sheets in cold water for 7 minutes. If using powdered gelatin, mix it with 4–5 tbsp water to bloom.
- In a small saucepan, add milk, cinnamon, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Heat gently until it just comes to a simmer.
- Remove saucepan from heat, stir in liqueur if using, and let sit briefly.
- Once the milk cools slightly (but is still hot), remove zest and cinnamon.
- Stir in the gelatin until completely dissolved. Do not boil – gelatin loses its setting power above ~70°C.
- Allow the milk to cool further to body temperature before stirring in the yogurt. If it’s too hot, the yogurt may curdle.
- Lightly grease molds with neutral oil and pour in the panna cotta mixture. Refrigerate for 5–6 hours until set.
Plum Sauce
- Toss plum halves with sweetener and cinnamon.
- Fry at 180°C for 30–40 minutes until soft and jammy.
- Put over the panna cotta just before serving.
