I've never tried to make frozen yogurt before. It's probably because I associate frozen yogurt with the late 80's frozen yogurt craze. When frozen yogurt places were cropping up everywhere. It was touted as healthier because it was yogurt, not ice cream. However, the end product had so little to do with actual yogurt that many of frozen yogurt places had to take the word yogurt out of their advertising. I never liked it. It was so sweet and gummy. The store bought varieties weren't much better. I never found one that I really enjoyed. I think it has something to do with the texture. So I haven't even eaten any frozen yogurt in quite a while. While trying to find a recipe for strawberry sorbet, I came across David Lebovitz's strawberry Frozen yogurt. I was intrigued. He description of French frozen yogurt made me want to give this recipe a try. David Lebovitz's book The Perfect Scoop has hundreds of wonderful recipes and tips for making all kinds of ice creams.
With an abundance of strawberries at the farm right now I decided to give frozen yogurt another chance.
This recipe is super easy and unbelievably delicious, I foresee making this all the time. It's so good that you won't believe it's got about half the fat of ice cream. I can't wait to try making it with our fresh blueberries when they're in season!
David Lebovitz's Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
About 1 quart (1 liter)
"French yogurt is astoundingly good and I suggest you use a good-quality, locally-produced yogurt for similar results."
1 pound (450 g) strawberries, rinsed and hulled
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
optional: 2 teaspoons vodka or kirsch (I used vodka)
1 cup (240 g) plain, whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Slice the strawberries into small pieces. Toss in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch (if using) until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring every so often.
Transfer the strawberries and their juice to a blender or food processor. Add the yogurt and fresh lemon juice. Pulse the machine until the mixture is almost smooth. If you wish, press mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds.
Chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
