Baked Vanilla Yogurt

                

Baked Vanilla Yogurt is often made by me during summers.. Its a chilled creamy yogurt pudding which I love to have on lazy afternoons.. It soothes me internally and also satiates my craving for something sweet as well as healthy..

                I remember the first time my mom mentioned of this baked yoghurt to me around 3yrs back, when she had on a trip abroad.. Before that i never even heard of this pudding.. She loved it so much, that she wanted me to try it once.. Till then, I only had "mishti doi" and not baked vanilla yoghurt.. Though there is no much of difference between the two, "mishti doi" is a traditional make and "baked vanilla yogurt" is a more modish..

                I generally make baked yogurt only with condensed milk and yogurt.. But many recipes use cream as well.. Cream gives a more velvety texture to the pudding.. This doesnt mean only yogurt doesnt.. The only difference I could make out is of made with only yogurt, the pudding is dense, and cream makes it light on the palette, and heavy on the stomach.. So, when i bake for my family and me, it has to be only yogurt and condensed milk.. And when i expect some guests, I add in some cream as well for the richness..

Baked Vanilla Yogurt

Ingredients:

2 cups thick yoghurt

1 cup condensed milk

1tsp vanilla essence

Method: Preheat oven at 160c. Whisk the yoghurt till it is smooth and there are no lumps.. Add in condensed milk and vanilla essence and whisk again till well combined.. Pour into individual shot glasses or ramekin moulds.. Take and oven proof tray and fill half with water.. Place the shot glasses in the tray and bake at 160c for exact 12mins.. To check if the yoghurt is set, insert a toothpick in one of the glasses.. If it comes out clean, it is done.. Otherwise bake for another 2minutes.. (Im sure it will be done in 12mins and you won't need to bake it further).. Switch off and open the door of the oven and leave it to cool.. Once it comes down to room temperature, chill for few hours and serve topped with fruit filling or preserve of your choice..

Note: You can even add nuts or 2tbsp of any fruit crush in the mixture before baking for a flavourful yoghurt..

If you want to use cream, everything goes in the ratio of 1:1:1 ie 1 cup yogurt, 1 cup cream and 1 cup condensed milk..  This is ideal.. But then you can use more of yogurt and less of cream too ie 1 1/2 cup yoghurt, 1/2 cup cream and 1 cup milkmaid..

The only thumb rule here is 2 parts of yoghurt / yoghurt and cream and 1 part condensed milk..