Baked yoghurt with spicy brandy oranges
I was introduced to baked yoghurt at a recent lunch at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town and fell instantly head over heels in love. So simple and so creamy, I couldn’t believe this wonderous and super-simple recipe was not more widely adopted. Chef Harpreet Longani of the Bombay Brasserie restaurant – a fine-dining Indian restaurant, gave us an inspiring cooking class before lunch and her baked yoghurt dessert was our grand finale to end off the most delicious of meals.
I’ve wanted to learn how to cook Indian food for the longest time, it re-occurred on my New years resolution list for so many years I finally gave up on it. It’s a cuisine I adore but feel intimidated by so this cooking class had me in raptures. Making our own bread, using a tandoor and then eating the most delicious curries. I was blown away by the incredible layers of flavour complexity out of this kitchen and I cannot wait to go back for more.
Here are a few of the pics from our lunch and class.
We didn’t learn how to make Harpreets silky smooth baked yoghurt, but I managed to pry some basic info out of her to get the ball rolling. The rest was left to Google and then my own interpretation.
This is my take on a classic Indian baked yoghurt dessert and I’ve added a spicy orange syrup to top it off. The syrup includes a few splashes of brandy, but you can leave this out. You could also finish it off with any fruit of your choice or what’s in season. My kitchen is full of the last of the oranges on my tree, so I’m finding any excuse to use them up. I also added roughly chopped almonds to add texture.
* Cooks notes ~I added the milk powder because this was one of the three ingredients Harpreet mentioned she used, but I’m not sure how necessary it is. The dessert has a similar taste and texture to cheesecake. Make sure you use a full-fat yoghurt. You could also bake these in individual ramekins, just be sure to adjust the cooking time down accordingly.
Recipe – makes 1 dessert – serves 6 – 8
Baked yoghurt with brandied oranges
Ingredients
Baked yoghurt
- 2 cups full fat Greek style yoghurt
- 1 cup 1 x 380gm tin condensed milk
- 1/4 cup milk powder
- finely grated zest of an orange
- handful of almonds skin on (toasted or raw), roughly chopped – optional
Spicy brandy oranges
- 1/2 cup orange juice about 2 oranges
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise pods
- 1/4 cup sugar
- segments from 3 oranges
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F.
- In a bowl combine all of the above and whisk by hand until smooth and combined.
- Empty into a wide flatish ceramic or cast iron oven proof dish. Place the dish in a high sided roasting tray and fill the tray with hot water to about 3/4 of the way up the sides. Bake for 40 minutes until starting to turn golden and set.
- Remove from the oven, take out the water bath and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until cold and serve. This can be made the day before.
- Carefully top the ends of the oranges and peel away the skin and pith. Make sure you remove it all. Slice the segments out of the oranges and add to a bowl. Strain out any excess juice (squeeze the remaining part of the orange)and use this to make the syrup.
- To make the orange syrup, add the juice, spices and sugar to a pot and bring it the boil. Let this simmer for a further 10 minutes and until it has thickened. Set aside to cool.
- Once cool and you are ready to serve, take out the spices and pour the syrup over the orange segments. Arrange a pile of these on the baked yoghurt. Add chopped almonds.
Notes
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Have to try this!
Wow, so making this Sam. Right up my street.
Oh my that looks absolutely fabulous….am going to make it today.
I am going to try it with a seed brittle on top….I have just got a new toy…an induction plate!
Put a cup of sugar in a pot and melt if until golden brown (it happens very fast so watch it all the time)..then add about 200g of assorted seeds and turn that out onto an oiled baking tray or better still a silpat mat and let it cool and then put in food processor and grind roughly.
Wow, this is really interesting, I’ve never heard of baked yoghurt before! Brandy and desserts are MADE for each other, and with crunchy almonds and juicy sweet oranges – helloooo mama! Awesome recipe, I am dying to try it, thank you so much for sharing 🙂
That looks so stunning! It leaving me in severe hunger pangs and dessert cravings.
Looks awesome. Milk powder usually helps dishes set, if thats helpful. So i would presume necessary in this pudding, as liquid milk may not work.
I love making baked yoghurt..we call it bhapa doi at home… although I’ve never thought of spicy brandy oranges with it.. how brilliant is that?!
looks amazing! I think you used the sweet condensed milk?
This is so different…and really sounds easy to do. I definitely will be trying this, and by the way…your pics are stunning 🙂
Oooooh, a new way for me to eat my ultimate favorite Greek yogurt! And I get mine from a farm in Philadelphia… These images are spectacular! So inviting!
Very cool!
Thanks Lynne. I passed it onto my neighbour and her daughter and got a text yesterday to say how much they are loving it.
Hi Ellen, yes – sweetened condensed milk
HI Servani – good to know its real name and thanks. We had it with a cherry compote at the restaurant which was awsesome.
Hi Nathalie – yes I think it firms it up. It really has a very nice texture.
Thanks Mallika and sorry 🙂
Thanks Tora and such a pleasure. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did
Hi Ursula – your seed brittle idea sounds too given. Let me know how it turned out. S x
Thanks Lizet. I can’t believe its not something I was familiar with before.
The photos are too beautiful! Never consider baked yogurt before, but it just makes sense!
Thanks heather and the same here.
Gorgeous photos! This is the first time I have heard of baked yogurt desserts, but it looks super interesting! Love the addition of oranges and almonds too.
This is divine, & to really spike it up you can add a pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom & saffron + a mixture of almonds & pistacios
Wow Usha that combination sounds awesome…today’s the day….I am going to treat my son to a dessert…it is his free day so anything goes…..forget the calories….sadly the condensed milk is a necessary additive….sinning all the way!!!!!
I am enourmously greatful for this recipe!!! It´s incredibly delicious. That is a new fav in the family.
Thanks for the lovely comment Anyuta – that makes me enormously happy 🙂
Looks amazing. How long would you cook in a pressure cooker?
Hi Vicki, this was a recipe made in the oven (BAKED) I have no idea how long it would cook in a pressure cooker as I didnt cook it in one. I doubt it would work in one either. The dry heat has a particular affect in the yoghurt.