Baked yoghurt pudding is a lesser-known dessert that deserves more attention. It bakes to a texture somewhere between a set custard and a baked cheesecake — slightly firm on the outside, still creamy in the centre, with a golden top. It’s made from ingredients that are almost always available, takes 15 minutes to assemble, and produces a warm dessert that feels comforting and considered at the same time.
The Recipe
Whisk together: 500g full-fat plain yoghurt, 3 eggs, 4 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons cornflour, and a pinch of salt. The cornflour stabilises the yoghurt during baking and prevents it from splitting. Pour into a lightly greased baking dish (approximately 20x25cm) or individual ramekins. Place in a baking tray with enough warm water to come halfway up the sides of the dish (a bain-marie). Bake at 160°C for 35-40 minutes (25-30 minutes for individual ramekins) until the pudding is set with a slight wobble in the centre.
The water bath is not optional — it moderates the oven temperature around the pudding and prevents the edges from overcooking before the centre sets. Skipping it produces a rubbery outer layer. The pudding should have a slight wobble when you shake the dish — it will continue to set as it cools.
Serving
Serve warm, directly from the baking dish, with a drizzle of honey and a handful of fresh or poached fruit alongside. Stone fruit (plums, peaches, nectarines) poached briefly in a little sugar syrup with a vanilla pod is particularly good. Fresh figs in season, halved and left raw, work beautifully — the contrast between the warm pudding and the room-temperature fig is elegant.
At room temperature it firms up slightly and can be sliced more cleanly. It keeps in the fridge for 3 days, covered, and reheats gently in the microwave or in a low oven. Cold, it has a texture similar to a firm set panna cotta and is pleasant eaten directly from the fridge with honey the morning after.
Flavour Variations
Cardamom and rose: add half a teaspoon of ground cardamom and a teaspoon of rosewater to the batter. Serve with crushed pistachios and honey. Lemon and thyme: add the zest of 2 lemons and a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves. The thyme sounds unusual but is a quietly interesting herbal note that makes the dessert smell and taste distinctively good. Cinnamon and orange: add half a teaspoon of cinnamon and the zest of an orange. Serve with a warm orange and almond compote.
