After a heavy lunch and several super tight hugs to all the lovely folks, I left from Carmel Valley Ranch with a bag full of goodies from the CA Strawberries Tour. My chauffeur (yes, I got a fancy ride for the tour) was a very interesting tall lady with grey hair and a very loving personality. What I assumed to be a boring drive, which is why I even carried a book with me, turned out to be quite the opposite. We chatted the whole time! We discussed recipes, seasonal ingredients, cherry picking, strawberry picking and how it gave her a back ache the next day. The two hours just flew by!
On arriving home, I was motivated from all the food talk. Had a quick glance of the goodies, did a quick instagram (it’s like a ritual these days) and immediately jotted down the recipe idea that was hovering on my mind.
Roasting fruit always brings out the flavor; it’s more perfumed and robust. And when you throw in some sea salt along with freshly powdered whole fennel seeds plus balsamic vinegar, it takes the strawberries to a whole new level of flavor fiesta! Now, try not to lick all that roasted strawberries straight from the hot pan. Let me warn you, it will smell divine and it will be extremely difficult to resist. But save some to enjoy it slowly after you make the delicious froyo!
I made the frozen yogurt twice in the same week and I used non-fat plain chobani greek yogurt during the second time. Thanks to the Chobani guys for sending me a huge box to sample. Earlier, I had made the same froyo with another brand yogurt and it was really good but with chobani greek yogurt, it was so much better. It was much smoother and creamier, almost like ice cream.
Since greek yogurt is already thick, you don’t have to strain it before making the frozen yogurt. However, I would still suggest you to extract out any amount of water that is there. It will be worth the effort as the end result will be richer. The froyo was not overly sweet, had the right balance of tartness and creaminess giving that perfect depth of flavor from the roasted strawberries.
Roasted Strawberries Frozen Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 lb strawberries (cut in half or quarter)
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon powdered fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 lb greek yogurt (I used chobani)
Instructions
- Place a kitchen towel on a colander and drop the yogurt in it. Tie the ends of kitchen towel tightly and extract the water. Let it rest on the colander and keep a heavy jar or bowl on top of the tied kitchen towel. It will help straining all the water. Allow it to set in the refrigerator overnight.
- In a baking pan, add strawberries, balsamic vinegar, powdered fennel seeds and salt. Let it bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Allow it to cool completely and then blend it to a puree.
- In a bowl, add strained yogurt and roasted strawberries puree along with sugar and whisk. Check for sugar. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar.
- At this stage, you can pour it in a container and let it rest in the refrigerator to set for few hours or churn it in your ice cream machine.
Nutrition
dixya
I am veryyy inspired to make this now. Never thought of adding fennel.
Pia
Roasted strawberries! Such a lovely texture and flavour for yogurt.
I'm loving the look of it! And that photograph of the little jar of sea salt.
Nash at Plateful
This is awesome! Love the color and love strawberries!
Trisha @ Vignette
Oh wow, I am salivating over this recipe! It looks so refreshing and delicious and full of summer goodness!
Eva | A in C
This sounds like the perfect summer treat, Kankana! And what a wonderful time you must have had in the strawberry fields. I can only imagine how good it must have smelled! Ripe strawberries are my favorite smell of summer, along with musky tomato vines 🙂
Radhika Vasanth
I have had such experience several times. I would assume that it would be boring and it would turn out to be an interesting meet. Love the delectable marriage of my favorite ingredients
Anna@CCS
Beautiful photos! I love the gorgeous color of this frozen yogurt.
Little Kitchie
The addition of sea salt and balsamic vinegar sounds sooo perfect. I would devour this!
Shema George
Yummy - looks so creamy and delicious. Love the roasted balsamic strawberries in them. Loved the color contrast in the pictures..really beautiful!
Lail | With A Spin
I've been thinking of making some frozen yogurt for the last few days but didn't get around. Roasted strawberry and fennel. What fantastic combination!!
nisha
fennel and strawberry... thats a combo i never thought would work.. but yes, since i like both the ingredients im sure this will go down well with me
Shruti@PartTimeChef
The fennel and sea salt must taste great in this fro yo. Lovely and creamy!
Rosa
Exquisite! Roasted strawberries have a wonderfully intense flavor. That addition of fennel seeds is really interesting.
Cheers,
Rosa
Liren
You can just see how creamy and rich the froyo is! What a lovely way to elevate the strawberry,too!
jehanne
Love the addition of fennel seeds, Kankana..and the pictures are so stunning! I can sit here for hours admiring your boards, and that raw strawberry pics:-)
soma
Hi Kankana,
I am already drooling. I got a ton of strawberries too. I do not have an ice cream machine and have no plan of buying one.Do you have any tip on how to make it without a machine? Would love to make it though.
Thanks,
Soma
Kankana Saxena
Last year I made a lot of frozen treats like ice cream and frozen yogurt without any ice cream machine. Ice Machine only helps freezing it faster and churning helps creating that creamy texture. You can always make this frozen yogurt without an ice cream machine. As I mentioned in the direction above, you can pour the strawberry mixed yogurt in a container and let it rest in the refrigerator to set for few hours! Hope this helps.
Soma
Thanks Kankana, I have already started the process...so should be able to do it. Will let you know. 🙂
Kiran
LOVE roasting berries with balsamic!! Nice touch of fennel powder too 🙂
Sneh | Cook Republic
loving this .. so creamy and luscious. Greek yoghurt is beautiful and the colour .. oh that burgundy colour is to die for!
Kristianne @ MSFK
I love this recipe! What a great way to use up some of those strawberries lady! 🙂
Ash- foodfashionpart
Carmel is beautiful. Love going there.
Your sorbet sounds so intense, especially with fennel and sea salt, perfect. I believe desserts with a tiny pinch of sea salt just takes it to another level. Nicely done.