fricking fantastical frozen yogurt
August 8, 2008 7:15 PM Subscribe
Plenty of info about ice cream, but how do you make ridiculously delightful frozen yogurt?
Please share with me your best methods, favorite recipes, tips and tricks and whatever else is relevant or somewhat relevant to making fricking fantastical frozen yogurt...and I like the taste of yogurt, so I'm not looking to disguise it or anything.
I just got one of those cuisinart ice cream thingies to make it in, if it makes a difference.
Please share with me your best methods, favorite recipes, tips and tricks and whatever else is relevant or somewhat relevant to making fricking fantastical frozen yogurt...and I like the taste of yogurt, so I'm not looking to disguise it or anything.
I just got one of those cuisinart ice cream thingies to make it in, if it makes a difference.
Alton Brown has a frozen yogurt recipe that I haven't tried, but his ice cream recipes are good. The trick seems to be draining the yogurt to make it thicker.
posted by cabingirl at 7:33 PM on August 8, 2008
posted by cabingirl at 7:33 PM on August 8, 2008
Best answer: I made this frozen yogurt "sorbet" and I would definitely say it is, without a shadow of a doubt, fricking fantastic frozen yogurt. I served mine with fresh peach puree and three blackberries on top for dessert monday night and it was a *hit*. I personally would up the sugar a little because I like it a tad sweeter.
posted by hecho de la basura at 7:51 PM on August 8, 2008
posted by hecho de la basura at 7:51 PM on August 8, 2008
Best answer: Just thought I'd mention that if you want thick yogurt, you can buy Greek-style drained yogurt which comes that way. What kind are you going for? If it's Pinkberry style, I've heard this recipe comes close, although I haven't gotten around to trying it yet. I've heard that most of the recipes in David Lebovitz's book Perfect Scoop are good, and I'm planning on buying it. It's a mixture of ice cream and yogurt recipes. The stuff he's posted on his blog has been pretty good, just so you know I'm not 100% blind in recommending him.
As for getting the texture right and everything, you may have already learned this the hard way but you want to freeze the canister for at least 24 hours and make sure it is completely frozen before you use it. The manual says overnight, but most freezers can't pull that off. If you hear any sloshing at all, it isn't ready. Also, the texture and quality of the frozen dessert will be much better if you make the time to chill it completely in the fridge (I usually go overnight, or make the mixture in the morning and chill it for dessert at dinner). For most frozen yogurt recipes, this isn't an issue since there isn't a custard to be made and the ingredients are kept cold by default. Just something to keep in mind.
Oh, and if you want to add fruits, you might want to try macerating them in liquor (either vodka or something with complimentary flavors) and/or sugar. This lowers their freezing points so they don't become huge chunks of ice when mixed in the ice cream. Make sure to drain the fruits completely before you toss them in. Or you could just put fresh fruit on top when you serve it...
Mark Bittman, the NY Time's Minimalist column writer, has a good buttermilk ice cream recipe. It's technically not yogurt, but it has a similar lactic acid twang, so you may want to try it, especially if you have a quart of it sitting in your fridge for one recipe bound to go bad in a month or so. I can't seem to find it online, but he pretty much uses it as a 1:1 substitute for half the milk/cream in a regular ice cream recipe.
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:56 PM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
As for getting the texture right and everything, you may have already learned this the hard way but you want to freeze the canister for at least 24 hours and make sure it is completely frozen before you use it. The manual says overnight, but most freezers can't pull that off. If you hear any sloshing at all, it isn't ready. Also, the texture and quality of the frozen dessert will be much better if you make the time to chill it completely in the fridge (I usually go overnight, or make the mixture in the morning and chill it for dessert at dinner). For most frozen yogurt recipes, this isn't an issue since there isn't a custard to be made and the ingredients are kept cold by default. Just something to keep in mind.
Oh, and if you want to add fruits, you might want to try macerating them in liquor (either vodka or something with complimentary flavors) and/or sugar. This lowers their freezing points so they don't become huge chunks of ice when mixed in the ice cream. Make sure to drain the fruits completely before you toss them in. Or you could just put fresh fruit on top when you serve it...
Mark Bittman, the NY Time's Minimalist column writer, has a good buttermilk ice cream recipe. It's technically not yogurt, but it has a similar lactic acid twang, so you may want to try it, especially if you have a quart of it sitting in your fridge for one recipe bound to go bad in a month or so. I can't seem to find it online, but he pretty much uses it as a 1:1 substitute for half the milk/cream in a regular ice cream recipe.
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:56 PM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
PS: If you find a recipe doesn't come out the first time, you can thaw it in the refrigerator, tweak it, and rechurn when your cylinder is cold again. This is also good for when a batch that was great fresh from the machine turns icy in the freezer. With food prices being what they are, this tweak makes it much easier to experiment without feeling like you are being wasteful.
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:00 PM on August 8, 2008
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:00 PM on August 8, 2008
Best answer: I've got the Cuisinart as well, and find that there's not much you have to do, though even whole milk yogurt will freeze very hard after about 6 hours of storage. I've given it a half cup or so of cream, which helps a little. Or you just eat it all very quickly, or let it sit in the fridge for a while before serving.
Easiest recipe in the world: 1 tub Brown Cow whole milk Maple yogurt. Churn. Growl at anyone who tries to come near it. This could probably be improved by making it with Greek or strained yogurt, some cream, and real maple syrup, but it's pretty darn good on its own.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:02 AM on August 9, 2008
Easiest recipe in the world: 1 tub Brown Cow whole milk Maple yogurt. Churn. Growl at anyone who tries to come near it. This could probably be improved by making it with Greek or strained yogurt, some cream, and real maple syrup, but it's pretty darn good on its own.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:02 AM on August 9, 2008
I've made this recipe mentioned upthread by mccarty.tim and it is fantastic. I think the Greek yogurt is the real trick to it.
posted by katie at 4:39 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by katie at 4:39 PM on August 9, 2008
My favorite breakfast (also a delicious dessert) is made by blending about 2 cups of frozen mango chunks and 1 cup of fat free plain yogurt in a food processor. I don't measure, so the ratio may need tweaking, but the result is smooth, sweet, flavorful, and thick enough to scoop without freezing first.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 10:34 PM on August 10, 2008
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 10:34 PM on August 10, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Make your frozen yogout base, and then use (pulverized with a rolling pin) dry ice to freeze it. You get much smaller ice crystals, and therefore a smoother and creamier texture.
You mix the dry ice in, using your Kitchenaid stand mixer or equivalent.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:27 PM on August 8, 2008