Instant dessert: frozen yogurt
February 6th, 2008
I have never had much of a sweet tooth. But I live in a country where people expect dessert. Try to serve a French person dinner without sending them off on a sweet note, and your culinary reputation will suffer, your guest will go home unhappy, and all will be wrong in the world.
Many Parisians simply opt for a tarte or gâteau from the boulangerie. But since the price of a tart for six can now reach 40 euros ($58 as of today), and since my euros begin life as weak dollars, I’ve learned to bake my own tarts.
But I’ve also become a master of the instant dessert, something quick but impactful that I can whip up in seconds to keep my French guests happy, as well as something I can enjoy myself. What that means in this case is something I would eat anyway — yogurt and fruit, with little or no sugar (or honey) added and a splash of booze. The beauty of this frozen yogurt is that it tastes as good as ice cream but is healthier and requires virtually no cooking. Served in a pretty long-stemmed bowl, it’s chic enough for a Parisian dinner party.
To make it, I start by draining whole yogurt for a few hours or overnight and freezing some chopped fruit of choice. (This can be done ahead of time so there’s no last-minute rush.) For one serving, I throw together a handful of frozen chopped fruit, a large dollop of drained yogurt (you can substitute Greek yogurt if you wish), a splash of light rum (or lime juice), and, depending on the sweetness of your fruit, a spoonful of sugar or honey to taste (you can mix it first and taste it, sweetening if necessary and mixing again). You can also add cinnamon, nutmeg, lime zest, or some fresh mint (which helps cut the richness). I think the addition of the rum gives it depth, but you can also make this with just the fruit and the yogurt if you don’t want the alcohol. Blend in a food processor or blender, adding a small quantity of water if the mixture is too thick. Serve immediately.
My favorite kind of instant frozen yogurt is made with fresh frozen lychees, which are easy to find here. (A dash of nutmeg is delicious with the lychees.) Mango also works well, though it has a rich taste. Banana has the right texture and is surprisingly delicious with the addition of a little cinnamon. Strawberry is wonderful in summer on its own or mixed with a little bit of banana for smoothness (but be careful that the banana doesn’t take over).
Experiment and see which fruits work best for you. But whatever you do, don’t try pineapple.
February 7th, 2008 at 8:55 am
That sounds like a great idea. Does the type of yogurt matter much? I’ve been looking for an easy way to make ice cream like desserts, I had some ideas I wanted to experiment with, and this may make a great medium for that.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Alex,
Here in Paris I use whole French yogurt, which seems to have a less acidic taste than American yogurt, so you may have to sweeten accordingly. I have also tried making it with Greek-style yogurt, which works well, though since it’s more watery, I tend to use less, and therefore the frozen yogurt has a more sorbet-like, rather than ice-cream-like taste.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
yum! i love mangoes…. and lychees too! great idea
i just joined the DB this month too, just checking out everyone else’s blogs, wanted to say hello
April 14th, 2008 at 10:04 am
[…] I have been cooking for years without feeling that I am missing out on anything. It’s true that I have long had a food processor and/or blender, knowing that while there are some things you can make by hand — pesto, for example — there are others that simply cannot be achieved in the kitchen without some mechanical help (like instant frozen yogurt). And I’ll admit to occasional jealousy when reading about a microwave trick — like getting more juice out of a lemon by blasting it for 10 seconds — but always console myself by simply rolling it on the counter top with my own palms to coax out more juice, like old Greek ladies have been doing since long before the advent of electromagnetic radiation. […]