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This Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta is another in the series of recipes I’ve created based around my Greek yogurt / buttermilk basic panna cotta. I’ve already posted my Coconut and Strawberry recipes, and coming soon are Maple, Pineapple and Banana. (Blueberry and Mixed Berry are very similar to Strawberry, and don’t require a separate recipe).

But I thought it important to get this one posted next, as even when you’re trying to lose weight and eat healthy… sometimes… you just need chocolate, you know? And even at just 95 calories, this easy to make recipe fills the bill.

What’s great about a panna cotta is that it’s simple enough for an every night dessert, and yet fancy enough that you can easily make it and dress it up when entertaining (assuming we every get back to a world in which that happens). Give it a try, I think you’ll be hooked!

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 4 pieces (30 g) Lindt Dark Chocolate 70% (or similar)
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons room temp water
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

Step 1: The “Cotta” Stand-In

Instead of the heavy cream called for in a traditional recipe, my recipe uses buttermilk and Greek yogurt. Combine them and whisk until mixed well.

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Step 2: Chocolate Prep

There’s really no wrong way to do this next step. The end result you’re looking for is a smooth melted slurry of the chocolate pieces with 1/4 cup of the almond milk. If you prefer to do this over a double-boiler, that will work fine. I’ve found the simplest way to do this is in the microwave. I set aside 1/4 cup of almond milk in a measuring cup, and then in another microwave safe bowl or cup, I slowly melt the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring after each one. From experience, after the third time (so 90 seconds of total microwave time) the chocolate has a few large chunks left that, with mixing, will melt away. As I mix those, I put the bowl with the 1/4 of almond milk in the microwave for 30 seconds to warm it up a bit. When it’s done, I add it to my completely melted chocolate and mix until smooth.

Obviously, microwave strengths vary, so it might take a bit more or less to melt your chocolate, but the key is you don’t want it to seize up, so you want to pull it out when it still has a bit of melting to do. Once you have your combined chocolate/milk slurry, whisk that into your Greek yogurt/buttermilk combination.

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Step 3: Bloom the Gelatin

With your “cotta” ready, it’s time to bloom the gelatin. In a small bowl, combine a packet of unflavored gelatin with two tablespoons of lukewarm water. Stir rapidly to combine and set aside to bloom for five minutes.

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Step 4: Heat the Milk

With the chocolate mixture ready and the gelatin blooming, the final element is to heat the milk. In a small sauce pan combine the remaining 1 cup of unsweetened chocolate almond milk with 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Warm over medium heat while stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved (you’ll be able to tell by the sound… once the sugar is dissolved the spoon will smoothly glide along the bottom of the pan). You are not boiling the milk, merely warming it. If the milk gets too hot when you introduce the gelatin it will not work. You want it just warm enough to melt the gelatin and combine it. Medium heat is fine for this.

When your five minute timer goes off on the gelatin, remove the milk from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin and stir constantly until combined. It shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds. Make sure you see no pieces of floating gelatin.

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Step 5: Everybody in the Pool

Finally, add the milk mixture to the chocolate mixture. Like any milk, you don’t want to heat buttermilk too quickly or it will split. Your almond milk should be slightly cooled at this point, but even so begin by pouring just a small amount into the mixture and whisk quickly. Continue adding the almond milk at a slow and steady pace while constantly whisking, in order to get a smooth Panna Cotta mixture.

This recipe makes eight 1/2 cup servings, which also fits nicely into 6 oz ramekins. Carefully pour the mixture into your ramekins and refrigerate for 4-5 hours or overnight. If you’re concerned whether or not your panna cotta will set up, you can lightly tap the surface after an hour… it should already bounce back by that point.

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Step 6: Plating

Removing the panna cotta from the ramekins for platting is relatively simple. Here’s the method I use (I believe there are several others) which I find works every time!

First, fill a medium bowl with hot tap water. Then, carefully submerge the ramekin halfway into the hot water, careful not the let the water come up over the edge into the dessert, and twist it back and forth for the count of 10.

Next, remove it from the water and carefully run either a butter knife, a cake frosting tool…anything flat and thin, along the outer edge of the ramekin.

Put a plate over the top of the ramekin and flip it upside down. Give the plate and ramekin a good shake (or two… or three) until you hear the tell-tale sound of the Panna Cotta hitting the plate. Carefully remove the ramekin and see if it worked. If not, keep trying! A bit more vigor is all it will take. Like anything else, it’s a skill, you’ll get better at it over time!

Step 7: Decorating

You can certainly enjoy the results of your hard work as it, but the nice thing about a panna cotta is it is a blank slate for a bit of creative decorating. Fresh fruit, a a sauce, a crumble… a combination of any or all of them… it’s up to you!

As an example – in the picture at the top of this post, the panna cotta is topped with a sugar-free chocolate nut crumble. It’s a combination of: 2 tbsps each of sliced almonds and pecans, 1 tbsp of ground brown flax, Hershey’s 100% cocoa and Swerve Confectioner’s sugar. I added a tsp of water and ground it up in a food processor and then flattened it out and baked it in the oven for about 8 minutes. Once it cooled, I put it back in the food processor and turned it into a crumble at 13 calories per tsp serving.

Try making up your own toppings!