Strawberry Yogurt Ice Cream

Strawberry frozen yogurt is the lighter, brighter cousin of strawberry ice cream. Four ingredients, no cooking, no custard base, just pureed strawberries blended with yogurt and a touch of sugar, churned into a creamy, tart-sweet frozen dessert. The yogurt tang against ripe strawberries is what makes this taste of summer in a way standard vanilla ice cream can’t match.

The optional whipped egg white is the secret weapon. Folded into the partially frozen mixture, it adds air and prevents the dense, icy texture that plagues most homemade frozen yogurts. Without it you’ll end up with something closer to a sorbet brick. Use pasteurized liquid egg whites from a carton if raw makes you nervous.

Use ripe, in-season strawberries. The flavor of this dessert depends entirely on the fruit; pale supermarket berries make pale, joyless ice cream. Look for deep red, fragrant berries that smell strongly when held to your nose. If you can’t find proper fresh strawberries, frozen ones (thawed and drained) actually outperform mediocre fresh.

Whole-milk yogurt makes a richer, creamier result than low-fat. Greek yogurt produces an even denser, more luxurious texture if you can use it; just thin slightly with a tablespoon of milk before mixing.

Pro Tips

• Macerate the strawberries with sugar for 30 minutes before pureeing. This pulls out their juice and intensifies the flavor.
• Strain the puree through a sieve if you want a smooth dessert; leave the seeds in for more rustic texture.
• Don’t skip the partial-freeze and whip step if you don’t have an ice cream maker. That step prevents iciness in the freezer-bowl method.
• Pull from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Frozen yogurt sets harder than ice cream and needs a bit of temper to scoop properly.

Variations

• Swap strawberries for raspberries, peaches, or fresh mango.
• Add a tablespoon of lemon juice with the sugar for extra brightness.
• Stir in mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios at the end for crunch.