Sweet Saffron Honey Yogurt With Berries

The Washington Post, September 5, 2007

• • Course: Dessert
• • Features: Fast

Summary:

Cooking teacher Pritha Mehra used Blue Ridge Dairy's Yo-Fresh, a yogurtlike product, to make this exotic treat.

Any yogurt used here must drain for 1 hour, but once that is done, this dessert takes only 10 minutes to prepare. It can be made up to 6 hours in advance; add the berries and nuts just before serving.

4 servings

Ingredients:

• • 2 cups low-fat honey-flavored yogurt
• • Few strands saffron
• • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, plus a pinch for garnish
• • 2 tablespoons honey
• • 2 tablespoons crushed pistachios (optional)
• • 2 tablespoons crushed slivered almonds (optional)
• • 15 to 20 raspberries, washed (may substitute blackberries or blueberries)

Directions:

Have ready 4 martini glasses or glass parfait cups and several layers of cheesecloth.

Hang the yogurt in a cheesecloth or in a fine sieve and drain for 1 hour; reserve 2 tablespoons of the drained water. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl.

Toast the saffron in a dry pan over medium heat for a minute or two, then dissolve it in the 2 tablespoons of drained yogurt water. Add the mixture to the yogurt, stirring to combine, so that the yogurt picks up a pale yellow color. Add the ground cardamom and honey, stirring to combine. Divide the yogurt among the martini glasses and chill for 10 minutes in the freezer. Garnish with the nuts, if using, the berries and a sprinkling of ground cardamom; serve immediately.

Recipe Source:

From Pritha Mehra of Falls Church.

144 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 6mg cholesterol, 81mg sodium, 27g carbohydrates, 1g dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 6g protein.