Lemon Cheesecake Pannacottas with Saffron Orange Sauce

Blanketed in a cheerful dandelion hued sauce, these Lemon Cheesecake Pannacottas are voluptuously soft and light. The sauce, a bittersweet infusion of citrus, vanilla and cardamom enlivens the creaminess of our little puds, each mouthful a gush of contrasts and delight.

The Lemon Cheesecake pannacottas are essentially breakfast dressed up as dessert. They’re made with Danone Divine double cream yogurt. It is as the name suggests – Divine! Double thick and assertively lemony, with teeny pieces of lemon zest. It tastes pure cheesecake. And who can argue with that? If you are at all obsessed with cheesecake, it would be prudent to bookmark this Lemon Cheesecake Pannacotta with Saffron Orange Sauce.

They make for the most glorious finish to a sturdy main, like say casseroles, braises and roasts, even more so after a spicy curry. With their velvety smooth mouthfeel and bright citrusy foil, they are utterly charming. Also, if you think you may have reached or surpassed your chocolate quota for Easter weekend, these pannacottas might be a rather fabulous alternative for dessert. Or, serve in elegant coupe champagne glasses for a classy brunch. Don’t you just love when food can swing effortlessly from one scope to another?

Lemon Cheesecake Pannacottas with Saffron Orange Sauce

Serves 8

Pannacotta

• 4 gelatine sheets
• 250ml full cream milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 70g  castor sugar
• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
• 500ml (2 cups) Danone Divine Lemon Cheesecake Yoghurt

Saffron Orange syrup 

• 500ml (2 cups) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 30ml (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
• the peel of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• 60g (1/4 cup)  castor or light brown sugar
• a pinch of saffron threads
• 5 cardamom pods, crushed

1. For the pannacotta soak the gelatine sheets in cold water to soften, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Place the milk, vanilla seeds (including the  pod), and sugar in a saucepan. Stir gently over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 5 minutes.
3. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine sheets then add to the milk. Whisk gently to dissolve. Remove the vanilla pod to use when decorating the pannacotta.  Once the milk is at room temperature, add the Danone Divine Lemon Cheesecake Yoghurt and whisk to combine.
4. Pour into individual moulds (about 125ml per serving), or one large mould. Chill for several hours or overnight, until set.
5. For the syrup, place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring up to a rapid boil and reduce by half. Set aside to cool completely.
6. To serve, dip the base of the mould briefly into hot water to loosen, then turn out onto a serving plate. Pour the cooled syrup and over, adding the cardamom seeds , citrus peel and vanilla pod to finish.

If you love citrus bakes and desserts, you may like to try these blog favourites:

Vanilla and orange cake with grapefruit curd

Semolina orange cake with rosemary syrup

The Best Lemon Drizzle Cake