Freeze Your Fruit And Yogurt Combo For A Perfectly-Textured Snack

When you hear the words "frozen yogurt," you probably envision the kind that's served in cups or cones or made into sundaes as a (possibly) healthier alternative to soft-serve ice cream. This type of frozen yogurt is manufactured via a similar process to the one used for ice cream, meaning that it is beaten as it freezes so that the mixture contains plenty of air. Freezing yogurt in the carton, however, is not recommended since it forms ice crystals that, once the yogurt thaws, melt and make the mixture watery. Recipe developer Susan Olayinka, however, has proved that there is an exception to the rule about never putting yogurt in the freezer as she manages to turn frozen yogurt into a smooth and creamy treat that won't separate or become runny.

How does Olayinka pull off this trick? The answer lies in the fact that this frozen yogurt bark isn't meant to be thawed — instead, it goes straight from the freezer into your mouth. Any yogurt bark that you won't be eating right away just stays in the freezer until you want another piece. Olayinka estimates that the bark should stay fresh for up to a month, but it will be safe to eat indefinitely as long as it's been stored in a resealable bag or plastic container and your freezer is working as it should.

You could simply freeze yogurt in a pan to make an entirely smooth bark, but Susan Olayinka likes to add fruit for extra flavor. She opts for a combination of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries — fresh ones, but there's no reason you couldn't use frozen berries as long as you don't let them thaw. (Frozen fruit, btw, is just as nutritious as fresh.) Olayinka also adds nuts to the mix to give it a little crunch. Her preference is for pistachios, although almonds, walnuts, or any other nuts you enjoy could work as long as they're chopped or sliced. If you're allergic, you can substitute either sunflower or pumpkin seeds for the nuts.

While Olayinka uses plain Greek yogurt that she sweetens with honey, she says that any kind of yogurt should work, including plant-based ones. If you prefer a flavored yogurt, you could use one of these as well, although you might want to reduce or omit the honey since this type of yogurt will already be sweetened. As a bonus, certain flavored yogurts may contain stabilizers that will help prevent ice crystals from forming. This shouldn't matter too much, however, unless you accidentally let the yogurt bark thaw. In that case, it will not only melt in your mouth but also in your hand or anywhere else it drips. If it does start getting a bit weepy, though, you can just stick it back in the freezer until it becomes solid enough to eat without a spoon.