Pastry chef Valerie Hill offers this appealing treat at the Morrison-Clark Historic Inn & Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Allowing the yogurt to drain produces the thick and creamy yogurt cheese.
Ingredients
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
5 cups apple cider or juice
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds tart green apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups water
4 whole cloves
2 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
4 large pitted dates, quartered
Directions
Set strainer over medium bowl. Line strainer with double layer of cheesecloth. Place yogurt in strainer. Refrigerate overnight. Discard liquid that drains out.
Boil 4 cups cider in medium saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup thin syrup, about 30 minutes. Cool. Stir 3 tablespoons into thickened yogurt. Re-serve remaining syrup.
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples, 1 tablespoon sugar and lemon juice; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer apples to medium bowl. Add 2 cups water, cloves, orange peel, cinnamon, 1 cup apple cider and 4 tablespoons sugar to same skillet. Boil until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 20 minutes. Strain. Discard solids. Return liquid and apples to skillet; add dates. Simmer 3 minutes. Cool. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill yogurt cheese; store compote at room temperature.)
Place heaping spoonful of yogurt cheese in center of each bowl. Surround with apples. Drizzle with reserved syrup.
