This recipe is inspired by a dessert that I have devoured over-and-over at one of my favorite coffee shops in New York City. The rat race of New York is real as though you are fast-forwarding through your life with brief moments on pause. I find solace at the end of each week while cozied up into the corner of this java joint on a Friday afternoon, savoring my cappuccino and this dreamy panna cotta dessert.
Addicted to its combination of flavors, I reinvented and simplified this dish into something easily reproduced at home for a fraction of the price! It is now one of my not-so-guilty pleasures when I am craving something sweet and satisfying!
The vanilla yogurt is oh-so-creamy with just a kiss of vanilla. It is topped with this luscious, slightly-sweet-yet-tart blueberry sauce and finally dusted with homemade granola. The star of this dish is that crunchy and chewy granola featuring lovely, toasted flakes of fresh coconut.
Need-to-Know
Not all Vanilla Extracts are Created Equal
For this recipe, you may swap the vanilla extract for vanilla bean paste scraped from the insides of vanilla bean pods. Whenever I spot vanilla bean pods in the aisles of the grocery store or a specialty food store, I will snatch them up for this recipe and others! Its flavors are unmatched!
However, if you can’t get your hands-on vanilla bean pods, I suggest buying a high-quality vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla extract is derived from wood pulp products, ugh. This gives the extract a harsh and bitter flavor. Alternatively, the higher quality brands are soft and palatable, though perhaps a bit pricier.
The vanilla extract should be “pure” or “100% vanilla” harvested from vanilla bean pods. Check the labels and the ingredients to ensure you are getting the “real deal.” I advocate for extracts from Madagascar as I find the flavor is pronounced and round, but there are many equally reputable options from Mexico and Tahiti.
To learn more about what store-bought brands to choose from, check out this Spruce Eats article.
Full-Fat Yogurt is Best
We recommend a full-fat yogurt because the low or no-fat alternatives possess a drastically different consistency that is not ideal for this dessert. 0% fat yogurt will appear watery and resemble liquid, whereas 5% fat yogurt will be thick and luscious. We advocate for full-fat yogurt because we mimic a panna cotta that is thick and durable when coated with the equally thick and jammy blueberry compote. The decision is yours; however, if you use a 0% fat yogurt, expect the yogurt and the blueberry compote to combine instead of forming layers of flavor.
What is Homemade Granola?
Granola is a breakfast food or snack that is composed of primarily rolled or old-fashioned oats. Rolled oats are derived from groats, which are the seed of cereal grain, usually roasted to develop a toasted flavor, steamed, and flattened into discs, thus resulting in the oats we are familiar with. The oats are combined with the following ingredients and baked in the oven on parchment paper until golden:
- Unrefined oil
- Salt
- Sweeteners such as sugar, honey, or maple syrup
- Dried fruit
- Nuts and seeds
Fruits, Nuts, and Seeds that You Can Add
We love the combination of flavors that we have chosen for this granola recipe; however, if you wish to add other fruits, nuts, or seeds, add what you desire. Here are some notable additions:
- Dried apricots
- Dried cranberries
- Dried dates
- Dried blueberries
- Banana chips
- Sunflower seeds
- Toasted pistachios
- Toasted pecans
- Roasted peanuts
- Roasted almonds
What Is Compote?
Compote is a sauce derived from whole fruit that is softly boiled in water with sweetener. The fruit breaks down and becomes macerated until it develops a thick saucy consistency. Allow it to cool before serving; otherwise, the yogurt will become liquid when topped with the compote.
Storage
Store the vanilla yogurt, blueberry compote, and homemade granola in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. The vanilla yogurt will stay fresh for up to 7 days in the refrigerator. Comparatively, both the blueberry compote and the homemade granola will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. You may also freeze the granola, which will allow it to last much longer than 2 weeks. Serve the vanilla yogurt cold and serve the blueberry compote and homemade granola at room temperature.
Purge Your Fridge
You just finished devouring our vanilla yogurt with blueberry compote and homemade granola, and you are left with the following ingredients:
- Rolled oats
- Toasted pepitas
- Black raisins
- Fresh coconut
Make more homemade granola and eat it up for breakfast with yogurt! For storage tips, visit the storage section above.
Looking for a little something different? Try one of these recipes instead:
Ingredients
Yogurt
- 14 oz plain Greek yogurt full-fat
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Blueberry Compote
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tbsp cane sugar
Homemade Granola
- 1/2 cup rolled or old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup black raisins
- 2 tbsp fresh coconut flesh grated
- 2 tbsp toasted pepita seeds
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp 100% maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Grate Coconut and Preheat the Oven
- Grate fresh coconut flesh into flakes. Set aside.
- Grease a baking pan (or line with parchment paper) and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Mix and Bake Granola
- Combine rolled oats, coconut flakes, toasted pepita seeds, raisins, olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt into a mixing bowl and stir together using a spatula.
- Spread mixture over the greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet evenly.
- Place in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden.
3. Cook Blueberry Compote
- Place a saucepan on the stovetop at medium heat.
- Combine blueberries, lemon juice, cane sugar, and water into the saucepan.
- Stir the ingredients. Allow the mixture to bubble softly for 10 minutes or until it takes on a thick saucy consistency.
4. Combine Vanilla and Greek Yogurt
- Combine Greek yogurt and vanilla into a mixing bowl and stir.
5. Let’s Plate
- Spoon Greek yogurt into a bowl.
- Allow blueberry compote to cool. Then, pour it over the yogurt.
- Use a spatula to top the compote with homemade granola.
- Serve and enjoy.
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