I had no idea that making my own frozen yogurt would be so easy! OK, it does require an ice cream maker. That’s the only catch. But everyone should own an ice cream machine. Homemade ice cream- and now frozen yogurt- is unbelievable. And it’s sad that I only figured this out so recently. But we’ll talk about ice cream another day. This moment belongs to yogurt.
I adore yogurt. I just don’t care for the thin runny stuff. (Or all the sugary flavored varieties.) I love pure unadulterated thick and luscious plain Greek yogurt. It’s marvelous paired with fruit and a drizzle of honey. I eat it almost daily. And that’s what’s used in this recipe. The original source suggested using whole milk yogurt for the creamiest result. And while I agree that whole milk yogurt would make this wonderful, I didn’t want my fro-yo to be as calorie dense as ice cream. So I went with 2%. I also reduced the amount of sugar. I wanted my frozen yogurt to be pleasantly sweet, with a bit of tartness sneaking through. And that’s just what I got. A creamy and simultaneously tart and sweet frozen treat. I served it straight out of the ice cream machine topped with sliced kiwi and fresh berries.
Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
INGREDIENTS
4 cups plain Greek yogurt (I used Fage 2%)
1/2 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate at least one hour.
2. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Mine took about 20 minutes to churn.)
Several notes: This frozen yogurt is best enjoyed immediately after churning. It eventually loses its creaminess and solidifies in the freezer. Also, this recipe can be scaled down to make fewer servings. Just reduce the sugar and vanilla accordingly.
This one is for Dustin. Deviled eggs are not something I would probably ever choose to make for myself. I’m not big on anything mayonnaise-heavy. But he craves all the traditional summer picnic foods- deviled eggs, potato salad- that take no shame in swimming in mayonnaise. Sometimes I just want to make the boy happy. And this is what we end up with.
And I admit that… I really liked these! The filling is creamy and tangy- if not a little too rich. (I didn’t bother to ease up on the calories, but I like the idea of using Greek yogurt to replace some of the mayonnaise.) The chives are crunchy and fresh. Dusted in mild, smoky paprika I found them to be unexpectedly alluring.
Smoky Deviled Eggs
INGREDIENTS
12 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or a combination of mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
fresh chives, chopped for garnish
smoked paprika, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. To hard boil the eggs, place the eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan, covered by at least an inch of cold water. Add a half teaspoonful or so of salt. Place the saucepan over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove the pan from the heat, immediately cover, and let sit 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of your eggs- larger eggs take slightly longer). Rinse the eggs under cold water to stop the cooking (or cool in an ice bath). Once cooled, the eggs can be refrigerated until ready to use.
2. Carefully peel and cut each egg in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks into a small bowl. Set the egg whites on a serving platter.
3. To the egg yolks, add the mayonnaise, Dijon, and vinegar. Mash together with a fork until you reach the desired consistency. (I like my filling almost smooth.) Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Pipe filling into each egg white. Sprinkle with chives and dust with smoked paprika. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Since Dustin just turned 30 and he loves chocolate (and since no birthday party would be complete without cake and ice cream), I chose this recipe. Out of my ice-cream machine came the most decadent, most intensely chocolatey frozen treat. Thick and rich and almost chewy (if you can imagine such a thing). I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips, but would probably choose bittersweet next time. The darker the better, I say. And while Dutch-processed cocoa powder is recommended, you can get away with regular (or a mixture in my case). I always churn my ice cream at least several hours ahead of when I want to eat it so that it has some time to set up in the freezer. But I won’t judge if you end up eating it straight out of the machine. One spoonful and you’ll lose all self-restraint.
Chocolate Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
2 cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark- a blend of regular and Dutch-processed cocoa)
5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
2. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
3. Stir the mixture constantly over the medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (170 F on an instant-read thermometer). Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath. (I skipped the ice bath step.)
4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.)
Makes about 1 quart.
(Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz)
Yesterday was Dustin’s 30th birthday. I love birthdays (the celebrating, the presents, the candles and cake…), but this one was a little scary. Thirty seems so grown up, so serious. Are we ready for this? (Thankfully, I’m the baby in the relationship. No matter how old he is, I’ll feel young in comparison! Sorry, hun. That’s just how it is.)
Wanting to please Dustin (who loves no frosting more than buttercream), and to feel a little bit like a kid again, I baked Funfetti Cupcakes. Not from a box. From this fast and simple recipe. These sprinkle-studded cupcakes were soft and fluffy and topped with the vanilla buttercream of his dreams. Most importantly, they tasted like childhood.
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
INGREDIENTS
Funfetti Cupcakes:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles + more for decorating
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. milk, if needed
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place paper liners in a 12-hole cupcake pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, then the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the sprinkles.
3. Pour the batter into the cupcake pan, filling each hole about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
4. To make the frosting, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar gradually. Increase the speed and add the vanilla. Whip for 2-3 minutes, adding milk if the frosting is too thick or powdered sugar if it is too thin. Spread over cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles.
Ever since last year I’ve been wanting to make this trifle. Near the end of summer my friend Jenna made it for her out-of-town family and had me bake the pound cake in my oven while they were sightseeing. It smelled, it looked wonderful. I could only imagine what it tasted like layered with vanilla bean custard, sweetened whipped cream, and fresh summer berries. I had dessert envy. But I had to wait for the right season and occasion to try it out myself. (This dessert is too much work, too tempting, and much too impressive not to share.) On Father’s Day my opportunity arrived.
All I can say is that this trifle was as amazing as I’d envisioned it to be. My entire family swooned over it. The pound cake is super moist and slightly tangy from the cream cheese. The custard is smooth and luxurious. The whipped cream is light and airy. And the berries (which I picked up at the charming farmer’s market in Old Town Manassas) were bursting with flavor. It was a masterpiece.
I contemplated posting the trifle and pound cake recipes separately, but since I forgot to capture a photo of the cake alone, they appear here together. That doesn’t mean you have to make them both. The pound cake is absolutely great served alone- with a dollop of whipped cream or drizzle of fruit sauce. (I had extra anyway which we gobbled up plain.) This will be my go-to pound cake recipe from now on.
Berry Trifle
INGREDIENTS
Pastry Cream:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
pinch of kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped out (or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature and diced
Trifle:
3 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
pound cake (recipe below), cut into slices
mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
1. To make the pastry cream, in a medium saucepan combine milk, cream, salt, and vanilla bean seeds (or extract). Bring to just under a boil. In a second bowl, whisk together cornstarch and sugar, then whisk in eggs. Add a ladle of hot liquid to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat twice, then whisk egg mixture into remaining milk mixture in pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until bubbling and thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of cream and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Whisk to loosen before using.
2. Mash a third to a half of the strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of salt to macerate berries.
3. Layer pound cake in bottom of a 14-cup trifle dish or bowl. Spread a layer of macerated berries over top, then pastry cream and additional strawberry halves with whole berries. Repeat layering up to twice more. Can eat immediately, but the trifle tastes best if refrigerated several hours or overnight.
4. Whip heavy cream to medium peaks with 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and spoon over top. Garnish with fresh berries.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (Philadelphia brand recommended)
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter and flour a 12-cup bunt pan.
2. Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy, at least five minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, then the flour and salt all at once. Beat just until incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake lightly to even out the top. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 65-75 minutes.
4. Place the pan on a cake rack and cool for 20 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely. Serve at room temperature.
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