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12 August 2011

Chocolate Frozen Yogurt


Chocolate frozen yogurt made with cocoa couldn't be easier (dissolves just fine without heat), and it's soooo good! The addition of a little alcohol improves the texture of homemade ice cream and frozen yogurt, something about preventing ice crystals and keeping it from freezing quite so hard, but it's optional. I think the coffee liqueur adds another dimension to the chocolate flavor, but if you don't use alcoholic beverages just add a couple tablespoons of strongly brewed coffee instead.

Someday I would like to buy the Cuisinart ICE-50BC with the built-in compressor. I'm perfectly happy with the ICE-21, but the ICE-50BC would mean no mixing bowl to pre-freeze and no waiting between batches. Of course, it's a lot more expensive! Hmm ... maybe I'll stay with what I've got. I keep the bowl in the freezer at all times so it's always ready to go. And I could get a second bowl if I wanted to make more than one batch.

Homemade frozen yogurt is quickly becoming my summer comfort food! What's yours? If you haven't tried my Strawberry Frozen Yogurt yet, try it next, right after you make this one!

Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

(Makes about 5 cups)

1 32-ounce container organic plain nonfat yogurt
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1 cup milk (I use 2%)
2 tablespoons Kahlua or coffee liqueur, optional
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Strain the yogurt (I used Straus Family Creamery) for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. You can use cheesecloth in a colander set over a bowl. I just happen to have found, way in the back on a very high shelf in my kitchen, a set of two 16-ounce yogurt strainers I didn't even know I had! Getting all that extra liquid out of the yogurt will keep your finished product from being too icy.

2 In medium bowl (I use 2-quart glass measure), whisk together sugar, cocoa and salt. Gradually whisk in milk, smoothing out any lumps.

3 Add strained yogurt and remaining ingredients; whisk until thoroughly mixed and sugar is dissolved. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

4 Assemble the Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream-Sorbet Maker; turn it on. While it is running, pour the chilled mixture through the spout. Let mix until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

5 Transfer the soft frozen yogurt to a freezer-safe airtight container and place in freezer for at least 2 hours. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.

18 comments:

  1. Oh, yeah, it had to arrive sometime. Your must valuable piece, valuable sentence, valuable phrase, i.e. "...just add a couple of tablespoons of strongly brewed coffee instead." Trouble is I don't actually drink coffee, and therefore don't actually know how to brew it. I've searched out coffee syrups, but alas, they all have some version of benzoates (sodium or potassium), which I believe demilate DNA -- as studies suggest. This coffee additive problem is a work in progress for me. 'Scuse me while I go scarf down some coffee-flavored yogurt...

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  2. At last! I knew this one would be more to your liking than, say, my broccoli salad post. I rarely have coffee in the house, that's why I used Kahlua. Husband remarked the other day on my well-stocked liquor shelf--said it made me look like a real boozer. Thing is, I rarely use the stuff for anything except cooking.

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  3. Thanks, perfect for my kids. I'll leave out the Kahlua though. Jan F.

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  4. Thanks, Jan Fredrik! Hope they like it as much as we do!

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  5. WOW...Luscious & creamy...and without cream!!! Love it :))
    Prathima Rao
    Prats Corner

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  6. Thank you, Prathima! Yes, once in a while I get to thinking I use altogether too much cream (and butter) and look for good ways to cut back without losing the creaminess.

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  7. Jean, I want to dive right into that picture!! It looks so creamy and amazing... and I'm such a sucker for ice cream! Love any recipe for making ice cream that does not involve eggs!

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  8. Thanks, Jenn! Yeah, I see no need for eggs in ice cream. I love to make a nice eggy custard, for custard, NOT ice cream! The simpler the better when it comes to ice creams.

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  9. Sounds like a delicious healthy alternative to ice cream.

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  10. Thanks, Jenn! I do like to "health" things up as long as it doesn't ruin the taste!

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  11. Oh no! I have every one of the ingredients listed AND an electric ice cream maker. This is way too tempting, Jean! I think I would avoid the alcohol because I would like it harder rather than softer.

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  12. Judy, go for it! Even with the alcohol, it will be *plenty* hard--don't worry about that. Let me know how you like it!

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  13. This looks so smooth and delicious! I should really get a second bowl for my ice cream maker. Although, it could be dangerous to be able to make frozen treats non-stop!

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  14. Thank you, Lisa! Yes, I know what you mean about that second bowl. Just don't trust myself to be moderate!

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  15. I made a variant of this using just Plain Greek Yogurt, 1 cup of Nutella, 1 cup of Soy Milk and 2 Tbs of Coffee Liquer. It was pretty yummy and not too sweet.

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  16. That sounds delicious, Sam! And it's quicker to buy the Greek yogurt than to strain the regular yogurt, but I usually can't find Greek in the brand I prefer.

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  17. This recipe sounds delicious! Thanks again for the recipe! I'm excited to try it today.

    Hilary Lemon
    http://www.blogger.com/profile/15944104483735351923

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  18. Thanks, Hilary! Hope you guys like it as much as we do!

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