No-Bake Mango Yoghurt Pannacotta with Mango Gelee and Butter Cookie Crumb

A very sweaty hello to one and all, and welcome to my 50th post!

That's right. Summer is here, which brings us pain and sunburns.

Lucky for us, summer also gets us watermelons and green almonds, litchis and jackfruits. And what is that fruit? Yellow, juicy, sweet with varieties from almost all corners of India? Oh yes that's right, Mangoes!! This season, R was so kind as to get a whole basket of Alphonsos from Mumbai. Oh they were good. So good. So so good. Find memories of mangoes you know. Back in Pune, when R and I were grad-school students, not so well off, we used to go to Pune city to while away time. In the summer months, we got one single but massive Totapari mango, which the seller kindly sliced into wedges, that, unless you pull it out, remains in shape. That was delicious, juices dripping down our arms as we roamed around Pune. Not as much because of the taste, as much as the memories.

This time, that thing in my brain raised her head. "Make something out of the remaining mangoes", "make something delicious!" she said. And I had to agree. What, you don't think it's a "she"?

And boy am I glad I did. Presenting, the quintessential summer dessert, a simple No-Bake Mango Yoghurt Pannacotta with Mango Gelee and Butter Cookie Crumb. It shows two layers of mango, with the mouthfeel of traditional pannacotta, but with the lightness of yoghurt being used in place of heavy cream. Cool and jiggly, it takes time, not to cook, but to set. Have it cold, straight out of the fridge.It has a surprise layer of Butter cookies at the bottom of the glass, to give a little texture and contrasts of taste. You can easily omit this.

No-Bake Mango Yoghurt Pannacotta with Mango Gelee and Butter Cookie Crumb

Adapted from Baker in Disguise

You need:

For the pannacotta

• 1 1/3 cups of yoghurt
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar (depends on how sweet the mangoes are)
• 1 chopped smallish mango. 
• 5 tsp unflavoured gelatin powder, or chinagrass/ agar agar if you're vegetarian. Please do check the conversion for 5 tsp gelatin.
• 1/2 cup of water.
• A pack of butter cookies (optional)

The How

• Bash the powder the cookies, distribute equally in your ramekins or glasses.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it rest for a few minutes.
• Puree the sugar, yoghurt and mango
• Gently, very gently heat this mixture and bring to a boil. Be careful that it does not split.
• To this mix, add the gelatin and water and mix. You may need the heat up the gelatin water for about 10-15 sec in the microwave, if it becomes lumpy.
• Spoon it into the glasses, and chuck into the fridge for minimum 4 hours, overnight if need be.
• Once this has set, make the mango gelee. That's because just in case the pannacotta hasn't set when you add the gelee, it'll mix, and that'll be a sad, tearful mess.

For the Gelee

• Another 1 chopped and pureed smallish mango
• 3 tbsp sugar. Adjust this according to the sweetness of your mangoes.
• 1 1/4 tsp unflavoured gelatin powder
• 1/4 cup cold water

The How:

• Sprinkle the gelatin on the water and let rest.
• Blend the sugar and mango, to bring to a liquid, not lumpy texture.
• Gently heat this mixture to a boil and add the gelatin water. Similar to the pannacotta, heat it for 10 sec if need be.
• Mix well, and layer on top of the completely set pannacotta.
• Let it set for another 2-3 hours in the fridge.

And that's it!

Till the next time!!