Greek Yogurt Obsession-Part 1

I admit...I'm guilty!!! I am OBSESSED with Greek yogurt! I've been using it in most all recipes that call for sour cream, I baked with it, cooked with it, ate it plain, with fruit, honey etc. I've always liked yogurt and for many years have been a fan of Yoplait, that is until I found out how much sugar it contains. I was never into plain yogurt, especially the non fat variety, so when I saw a recipe for a dessert that was made entirely from Greek yogurt I was intrigued at first, but still sceptical... I ended up making Vanilla Cream Terrine with Raspberries and Blackcurrant Coulis and was amazed how great it tasted. I used Fage 0% Greek strained yogurt. I know, I know, I said that I was not a fan of non fat yogurt, but somehow, I don't mind the taste of this one. It still is very rich & smooth without the extra calories...which makes it a winner in my book!


I've gotten this recipe from Rona. We met in London couple of years ago... We were on vacation with friends and were invited to Rona & Malcolm's house for a fabulous dinner party. She served this for dessert and I fell in love... It was delicious, light and fresh- PERFECT for a summer evening! Needless to say, I left London not only with great memories but also with one of Rona's cookbooks and to this day it is one of my very favorite resources for baking and cooking in general.

For the terrine:

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
15 fl oz whipping cream
1½ x 0.4 oz sachets gelatin powder
3 oz caster sugar
15 fl oz Greek yogurt

For the blackcurrant coulis:

8 oz blackcurrants
3 oz caster sugar

To garnish:

6 oz raspberries
fresh mint leaves

You will also need a plastic box measuring 4 x 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 x 10cm).

Begin by placing the gelatin in a cup, together with 3 tablespoons of the cream, and leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the rest of the cream in a saucepan with the sugar and heat gently till the sugar has dissolved (it's important not to overheat the cream). Next, add the soaked gelatin to the warm cream and whisk everything over the heat for a few seconds. Now remove the cream mixture from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, stir the yogurt and vanilla together, then pour in the gelatin cream mixture through a sieve. Mix very thoroughly and pour the whole lot into the plastic box, allow to cool, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours or preferably overnight until it's set.

Meanwhile, make the blackcurrant coulis by sprinkling them with the sugar in a bowl. Leave to soak for 30 minutes, and then you can either sieve them directly back into the bowl or, to make the sieving easier, whiz them first in a food processor then sieve into the bowl. Taste to check that you have added enough sugar, then pour into a jug and chill until you're ready to serve the terrine.

To serve, turn the terrine out on to a board, first sliding a palette knife around the edges to loosen it, then giving it a hefty shake. Then cut into six slices. Arrange each slice on a serving plate, spoon a little blackcurrant coulis over opposite corners of each one and decorate with the fresh raspberries and mint leaves.