Ube Soft-Serve Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

• 2 cups Full-Fat Greek Yogurt, Whole-milk yogurt keeps it creamy; nonfat freezes icy
• 0.75 cup Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam), At room temperature so it whisks in smoothly
• 2 tbsp Ube Powder, Bloomed in the warm milk below for deeper color and flavor
• 0.5 cup Whole Milk, Warmed; coconut milk also works
• 3 tbsp Honey or Light Corn Syrup, Keeps the frozen yogurt soft and scoopable, not just sweet
• 1 pinch Pinch of Salt, Brings out the nutty, vanilla notes of the ube

Instructions

1. Bloom the Ube Powder Warm the milk until it's hot but not boiling (about 30 seconds in the microwave). Whisk in the ube powder until there are no lumps, then let it sit for 5 minutes. The powder absorbs the liquid and softens, which gives a smoother texture and a stronger purple color.
2. Mix the Base In a large bowl, whisk the ube halaya until loosened, then whisk in the ube milk, honey, and salt. Add the Greek yogurt and whisk until completely smooth and evenly lavender. Taste it: the base should taste slightly sweeter than you want, since cold dulls sweetness.
3. Chill Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until very cold. A well-chilled base churns faster and freezes with smaller ice crystals, which is what gives it a soft-serve texture.
4. Churn or Spin Churn in an ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes, until it's thick and holds soft swirls. If you have a Ninja Creami, pour the base into a pint container, freeze for 24 hours, and process on the Lite Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt setting, then re-spin once if it's crumbly.
5. Serve Soft or Firm For true soft serve, spoon it straight into a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe into cones or cups right away. For scoopable frozen yogurt, pack it into a container and freeze for 2-3 hours, then let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.

Pro Tips

• Don't skip the honey or corn syrup. Frozen yogurt has less fat than ice cream, so these liquid sugars are what keep it from freezing rock hard after a few hours in the freezer.
• Halaya brands range from lightly sweet to very sweet. If yours is on the sweet side, cut the honey to 2 tablespoons, but don't leave it out entirely.
• For the best swirl, serve it straight from the machine. Once it's been frozen solid, it becomes scoopable frozen yogurt rather than soft serve, which is still delicious but looks different.

Variations

• Ube Coconut Froyo: Use coconut milk to bloom the powder and fold in 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes at the end of churning.
• Ube Cheesecake Froyo: Whisk 4 oz softened cream cheese into the halaya before adding the yogurt, and fold in crushed graham crackers after churning.
• Halo-Halo Sundae: Pipe it over shaved ice, sweetened beans, nata de coco, and a drizzle of evaporated milk.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

264 calories · 38g carbs · 12g protein · 7g fat · 33g sugar · 1g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this without an ice cream maker?

Yes. Pour the base into a shallow metal pan, freeze it, and stir vigorously with a fork every 30 minutes for about 3 hours. It won't be as silky as churned frozen yogurt, but it'll be creamy and scoopable. A Ninja Creami also works well and gives a very soft-serve-like result.

Why is my frozen yogurt icy?

Usually because the yogurt was low-fat or nonfat, or the honey or corn syrup was left out. Both fat and liquid sugar keep ice crystals small. Chilling the base thoroughly before churning also helps.

How long does it keep?

Up to 2 weeks in a sealed container in the freezer, with plastic wrap pressed on the surface. After that it starts to get icy. Let it soften for 10-15 minutes before scooping.

Recommended Ingredient

Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream & Milkshake Maker — read our review.

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