Lemon-Basil Frozen Yogurt

[Valerie]

Lemon-Basil Frozen Yogurt
From Taste of Home J/J 2010

6 Cups (48 oz.) plain yogurt
1 Cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup toasted chopped walnuts
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Line a strainer with 4 layers of cheesecloth or 1 coffee filter. Put yogurt in strainer, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (You just made yogurt cheese!) Discard liquid (or give it to the chickens). Place drained yogurt in a large bowl; stir in remaining ingredients. Process in ice cream maker.

** I haven't made this yet, but it's next on my list. I will be using the cake pan/fork method, though. I bet it would be good to just use it as a cheese spread, if you didn't feel like freezing it.

[Granny Smith]

I'll bet a handful of chopped cherries would be good in that, too.

[Valerie]

I'm leaving the walnuts out of mine, though. I don't like crunchies in my ice cream stuff.

[Granny Smith]

I don't either. My teeth are sensitive, so I have to wait for everything to thaw before I can chew it. Takes too long that way.

[Valerie]

Ok, this is kind of weird. I like the texture -- a lot. But there is a little bitterness at the back of the tongue, and the basil is kind of strong. And it's strange coming across pieces of leaves in your frozen yogurt.

I probably won't make this again. BUT - I really like the method, and I think that taking the yogurt cheese, adding some sugar, and swirling about 1/2 cup of heated jam or preserves through it and then freezing it would be really good. It has a nice mouth feel, very creamy, not grainy. Probably from draining the liquid out so there is less to turn to ice.

There, did I just sound like one of those judges on Iron Chef America, or what??!

[Granny Smith]

LOL I was thinking about the original Iron Chef and the little oriental lady who talks in that high voice. Ooooo... very nice...


How do you think it would be with some canned pie filling stirred in?

[Valerie]

Oh yeah, that would be good too!