Saturday, January 17, 2009

Homemade Frozen Yogurt





My MIL gave us some of her homemade cherry frozen yogurt and I fell in love. :) Sure enough, the next time I was at Target there was an ice cream maker in the clearance section - we got it for $7. However, once I got home, washed it, and froze the canister, life got crazy again. Finally after two or three months, we made ice cream for the first time. Abby doesn't like the cherry kind too much so we made strawberry instead. I had a bit of trouble. Usually I am all about reading the directions, but I thought

"Oh how difficult can it be? You pour the ice cream in, plug the machine in, and turn it on."

So, that's what I did. Then my mom pointed out that there ought to be a paddle in there.
A paddle?

Yeah, for churning the ice cream.
Oh.

So she went through the box, and sure enough, there was a paddle. At this point, the ice cream was already frozen to the sides of the canister (but still liquidy in the middle). So this meant the paddle didn't fit and wouldn't turn. So I'm scraping the sides and trying to get that paddle to move! After a while it did move a little, but it was so much work that the thing eventually overheated and shut down.

Oops.

In the end, we did get to have frozen yogurt, it just wasn't so frozen. More milk-shaky. It was still yummy though. So if you decide to try this - put the paddle in and turn the machine on before you add the ice cream! :)
VERY BERRY FROZEN YOGURT
2 cups low-fat yogurt (we use Stonyfield!)
1-12oz bag frozen berries to your desired consistency (whole, chopped, diced, pureed, strained)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients.
Turn on your machine :)
Pour ingredients in.
20-30 minutes and voila!
Frozen yogurt!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Jessa!
It was exciting to see Abby and you make the frozen yogurt. Next time you all come lets make more ice cream, or maybe some sorbet. Love you much!

Simon said...

i just landed here on your blog and enjoyed a lot when i was listening to your musics..
i like your blog
its me http://samvande.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Was reading your blog, and I could very well have written it...at least the part about your introduction to making homemade yogurt!

I have had the ice cream maker for some years now, but finally broke it free from its confinement. Put all the ingredients together, poured it into the machine, then put the paddle onto the motorized lid, got the lid put in place, and ..... the darned paddle wouldn't move! It was all frozen in place! Apparently you are to have the paddle AND lid in place AND running, and THEN you turn the darned thing on! It was a rather hilarious sight, seeing this 62 year old grandma trying to get this frozen yogurt out of the maker (the mixture kept getting harder and harder -- the spoon was slipping in and out of my hand). Ended up pouring it into an oblong cake pan, then I had to make room in the freezer. Well, all I can say, is that it was truly a learning experience.

The frozen yogurt was delicious, by the way, frozen, semi-frozen,
and even in its liquid form!