Friday, June 12, 2015

Honey Frozen Yogurt


There is nothing in the world like honey.  This sweet nectar is a cherished commodity.  And with ongoing reports of bee colony collapse disorder and its threat to the survival of bees, I’ve come to really appreciate it all the more.  Bees are such such an essential and integral element of a healthy natural food system, we have to hope that scientists are finding productive ways to preserve our bee colonies.  We do not have a future without them.

If you do one thing in your ice cream maker this spring, you’ve got to make this super delicious Honey Frozen Yogurt.  It’s light, really refreshing and showcases the astonishing earthy flavor of honey.  

It all starts with a simple plain yogurt, which has become a key ingredient in pastry over the last few years.  It’s often utilized as a healthier substitute for other dairy products in recipes for cakes and muffins, biscuits and scones.  But here, it’s the star ingredient.  The yogurt gets coaxed into perfection with a perfect measure of honey, some lemon juice to brighten the acidity, a slight touch of vanilla and a pinch of salt to heighten the best of all the ingredients.

This may be one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make.  Try it with sweetened berries and fresh apricots or peaches.  It doesn’t get any better than this!

Bench notes:
- Since homemade frozen yogurt doesn't contain any commercial emulsifiers, let it sit out for a few minutes to soften before serving if you’ve left it in your freezer for more than a couple hours.
- Use your favorite plain yogurt.  I’ve even made it with lower fat yogurt and it’s still great.
- I use enough honey for good flavor and then some sugar to sweeten.  Too much honey inhibits the yogurt from freezing properly.


Honey Frozen Yogurt
Makes about 1 3/4 pints

3 cups (24 oz) plain yogurt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (3 oz) honey
1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch salt

Whisk together the plain yogurt, honey, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice.  Add a pinch of salt, to taste.  Pour in an airtight container, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.  Pour into an airtight container and press a piece of plastic into the surface.  Cover and place in your freezer to firm up. 

4 comments:

mimi said...

Oh I can just taste this!!! And I imagine you can use any kind of yogurt as well. Fabulous!!!

pastry studio said...

You should taste it, it's super delicious! And I don't think you can find anything EASIER.

Cheers!

SallyBR said...

Oh, this sounds amazing, and I intend to make it soon... by the way, I am saving apricot pits to make your ice cream as soon as I gather 20 of them.

that recipe got me so curious!

pastry studio said...

Sally, if you love the purity of simple things, this frozen yogurt will appeal to you. YUM.

The same things goes for Noyau Ice Cream. It's subtle but unforgettable. Really!