Flashback Friday – David Lebovitz Trifecta

The following originally appeared on 5/13/08 at Exit 51

David Lebovitz Trifecta

I thought I would round out my homage to DL with his take on Frozen Yogurt which just so happens to be the only project which fit into my busy weekend. Unlike ice cream, frozen yogurt doesn’t need a cooked base. No fiddling or fussing necessary. Just find some lovely berries, sugar them up a bit, go do something else for two hours, mix in plain yogurt*, process, chill, and churn. This recipe could not be simpler.

*It is worth noting that his notes discuss using French yogurt but that Greek style yogurt is a perfectly acceptable substitution. Have you ever tried Greek yogurt? It is simply divine. Thick with a slight tangy sweetness. I imagine that if you can’t find Greek yogurt (I used the Fage brand) you could improvise by straining regular plain yogurt through a towel lined sieve to eliminate the extra liquid. I was worried that the base would be too thick but once you introduce the berries and their juice to the yogurt the consistency is just right.

DL’s Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
(About 1 quart)

• 1 pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled
• 2/3 cup sugar
• optional: 2 teaspoons vodka or kirsch
• 1 cup 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 occasionally.

Transfer the strawberries and their juice to a blender or food processor. Add the yogurt and fresh lemon juice. Pulse until the mixture is almost smooth. Press mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds if you like.

Chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

{printable recipe}