Strawberry Labneh Verrines

During our family trip to Iceland in May 2015, we discovered the “skyr". Skyr is an Icelandic dairy product and its texture is close to strained greek yogurt. We had it in savory but mostly sweet dishes. It made me think about the Lebanese yogurt variations that we usually enjoy in savory recipes. I had to create something for a sweet labneh! :))

The Lebanese household and cuisine use a lot of yogurt and labneh. Labneh is basically strained yogurt. You can buy it in some middle eastern stores, or make it at home, by draining the water out of the yogurt. The thicker you like your labneh, the longer you’ll have to drain it.
I usually make my own labneh; but you can find it in middle eastern shops and it’s becoming available in some (regular) grocery shops. It is really delicious and I’m not surprised by the success it is having in the western markets. The labneh applications are endless and I am taking them to a new level in this recipe.

This Strawberry Labneh Verrine is my interpretation of a healthy light summer dessert. The texture is velvety and lightened up by the juicy fresh strawberries. The labneh is sweetened with a hint of honey and a dash of orange blossom water. Who needs crème Chantilly when you can have fluffy labneh with oriental aromas?!? The granola adds a nice crunch and texture to this easy delicious dessert.

You can use low or zero fat labneh to further minimize the calorie intake.

It can be served as a dessert or for breakfast.

Bon Appétit!

Strawberry Labneh Verrine

Recipe credits: Rafaella Sargi
Makes 2 verrines

Ingredients
½ cup labneh (you can use low or zero fat)
½ teaspoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup (150 g) fresh strawberries, small diced
½ teaspoon powdered sugar
½ teaspoon orange blossom water
2 tablespoons granola

Directions
You will need two small bowls, a whisk and two small serving cups or verrines.
Scale and prep all the ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk the labneh with ½ teaspoon orange blossom water and the honey. Use the whisk to incorporate some air and make the labneh fluffy. Reserve (covered) in the fridge until ready to use.

In a small bowl, gently mix the small diced strawberries with ½ teaspoon orange blossom water and ½ powdered sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes* so the strawberries release their juices and the flavors combine.

Equally divide the strawberries into the verrines, top them with a dollop or two of the sweetened labneh and sprinkle each verrine with one tablespoon of granola. Serve immediately.

*Do not marinate the strawberries for a long time as they will become mushy. Depending on their ripeness 5 to 10 minutes are enough.