Description
Easy homemade cherry frozen yogurt, made with thick Greek yogurt, fresh sweet cherries, and swirls of flavorful Summer berry jam.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp brandy (optional)
- 24 oz whole milk Greek yogurt, strained
- 2 tsp arrowroot starch*
- 6–8 oz berry jam (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry or cherry), divided
Instructions
- Prep: A few hours (up to 6) before you plan to make the frozen yogurt, place the Greek yogurt in a fine-mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth, and set over a bowl to drain. Refrigerate until ready to use. Discard the remaining liquid.
- Add the cherries, sugar, vanilla, vinegar and brandy (if using) to a medium pot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally as the sugar dissolves and the cherries begin to release their juice. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, and a syrup has developed, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to low and let simmer, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, stirring a few times, until the mixture has reduced by about 25 percent. Remove from the heat, and carefully transfer the cherry sauce to a blender. Blend until very smooth. Work in batches if needed. Be careful as the mixture will still be very hot! Transfer the cherry sauce to a chilled bowl and let cool.
- When the cherry sauce has cooled to room temperature, whisk in the (strained) yogurt until smooth and completely combined. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly against the surface of the yogurt to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least an hour until thoroughly chilled. The yogurt base can be made up to a day in advance and refrigerated overnight.
- Remove the yogurt base from the fridge and whisk in the arrowroot starch. Pour the yogurt into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s directions, approximately 20-25 minutes. You will know the frozen yogurt is ready when it begins to pull away slightly from the edges of the container, and has the texture of soft-serve.
- Two to three minutes before the frozen yogurt is completely churned (when it looks almost ready), add 2 tablespoons of the jam to the ice cream machine, while still churning. Scoop the frozen yogurt into 2-3 paper pints or a freezer-safe container, layering the yogurt with scoops of the remaining jam throughout. Swirl the frozen yogurt and jam together as desired. Press a piece of parchment paper against the surface of the frozen yogurt, cover, and chill for 3-4 hours until completely set. Let the frozen yogurt sit out for 5-10 minutes before scooping. Homemade frozen yogurt is best the day of, but will last for up to a week in the freezer.
Notes
The arrowroot starch is optional, but highly recommended, particularly if you do not plan on eating the frozen yogurt the day of. The starch binds with the water particles naturally present in the yogurt and cherries, helping to prevent the formation of ice crystals, and as a result creating a smoother, creamier texture for your frozen yogurt. Tapioca starch or cornstarch can also be substituted if you can’t get your hands on arrowroot starch, which is my very favorite starch to use in homemade frozen yogurt and ice cream.