Frozen yoghurt with a cherry ripple

This is my first time photographing any kind of frozen food, up until now I've been terrified and in awe of those who regularly do it. I'm no longer terrified but definitely still in awe of those who do it well.

Late last year I was given the ice cream bowl attachment for my kitchen-aid mixer (which I was also given last year, thanks friends!) Since receiving it I've made ice cream and sorbet whenever I find an excuse. Now I'm venturing into the world of frozen yoghurt.

I've always loved frozen yoghurt, as a child my mother used to buy it on a regular basis and I used to scoff it down. Yet, up until yesterday I'd never had it freshly made and nor did I have the slightest inkling of just how easy it is to make.

Besides the home-made ice creams I've made I've really only had home-made ice cream once in my life. I would've been around 8 at the time and it was made using a hand cranked ice and salt mixer. I thought it was amazing. I can't remember what the ice cream tasted like but I do remember thinking just how great it was that you could actually make ice cream. It was like magic happening before my eyes. Of course, I didn't actually crank the ice cream maker so I had little appreciation of the effort involved - I still have little appreciation as I've never used an ice and salt ice cream maker!

Anyway, enough of that. Frozen yoghurt is amazing. The tangy-ness of the yoghurt offsets the sweetness of the cherries in this recipe, creating a delightful combination. if you've never made frozen yoghurt and you happen to own an ice cream maker, I highly recommend you make it now. The involved is absolutely minimal and the results are deliciously rewarding.

Frozen yoghurt with a cherry ripple

(adapted from Decadence: Desserts by Philip Johnson)
makes 600ml

For the frozen yoghurt

175ml (6 fl oz) whole milk
85g sugar (1/3 cup) caster sugar
35g (1/6 cup) glucose syrup
250ml (1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt
juice of 1/2 a lemon

For the cherry ripple

120g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh or frozen cherries, pitted

Combine the milk, sugar, and glucose syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Put the yoghurt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the cooled milk mixture, then whisk in the lemon juice. Refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile, combine the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cherries and crush them lightly using a wooden spoon to break them up slightly. bring to the boil and boil, without stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture is thick and syrupy. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small bowl. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until cold.

Once everything is cold, transfer the yoghurt mixture to the bowl of an ice cream machine, and churn according to the manufacturers instructions.

Once churned, transfer to a container for freezing, alternating between large scoops of the frozen yoghurt and small scoops of the cherry mixture. Freeze for an minimum of two hours.