Avocado Frozen Yogurt (coconut milk and yogurt base)
Avocado’s super power is being creamy and rich while still light and refreshing, so it makes a great summer dessert. I always think it needs a good bit of acidity to balance the richness, so to me, Avocado Frozen Yogurt makes perfect sense. The final result has intense avocado flavor, balanced by tart yogurt and citrus, and sweetened and mellowed by agave and vanilla.
About the avocado…
If you can get frozen avocado chunks, I encourage you to use them. They take the guesswork out of figuring out when avocados are ripe. They aren’t good for everything (like pretty slices on your salad or sandwich), because freezing affects the texture. The frozen avocado chunks become mushy when defrosted. However, if the avocado is going into a blender with other ingredients, like for a smoothie or for Avocado Frozen Yogurt, they’re perfect. Plus, they can hang out in your freezer for ages, and you don’t have to peel them. My local HEB sells frozen avocado chunks, and I think I’ve also seen them at Costco.
About the yogurt…
When I made Banana-Sesame Frozen Yogurt, I wrote about why lactose-intolerant people (such as myself) can usually eat regular yogurt without a problem. And yet, frozen yogurt is still a bad idea. Here’s the TL;DR: The active cultures in yogurt process the lactose for us, but frozen yogurt rarely contains active cultures. Except when you make it yourself!
For this recipe, you’ll need plain, Greek-style yogurt, but you can use anything from fat-free to full-fat. Fat-free yogurt will yield a lighter, slightly icier texture. Unsurprisingly, full-fat yogurt will give you a richer, creamier result. I like using fat-free yogurt because I like the lighter effect, and with the avocado and coconut milk, you still get plenty of richness. Either way is good!
I’ve used protein powder (whey in this case) to increase the protein and reduce the sugar, without sacrificing texture. For more details on how that works, click here. The recipe notes below provide suggestions for using other types of protein powder, if you’d like. (No worries with whey and lactose, by the way. Whey protein powder should not contain any lactose.)
As a bonus, if you decide you just can’t wait for it to churn, the frozen yogurt base makes a lovely avocado pudding.
Ingredients
Instructions
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ADD ALL INGREDIENTS TO THE BLENDER
Add all the ingredients to the blender. I find it works best to hold back half of the coconut milk until everything else is well blended. Then add the remaining coconut milk at the end.
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BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH
Blend the mixture until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender with a spatula a few times, to make sure everything gets incorporated.
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CHILL
Transfer to a container and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
For a quicker chilling time, place the bowl containing your mixture in an ice bath (a larger bowl containing ice water) for a few hours. Stir the mixture occasionally. As the water in the ice bath warms up, pour off some water and add ice to keep the mixture chilling as quickly as possible.
When the mixture is chilled, it makes a wonderful pudding, so if you want to skip the churning and eat it now, go for it!
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CHURN
Before you start churning, set up everything you'll need to quickly transfer the frozen yogurt from the machine into a container for freezing. I use a knife to scrape down the dasher (or paddle) and a wooden spoon to scoop out the ice cream.
Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Pour your mixture into the ice cream maker and churn. In my machine the perfect churning time is 13 minutes, but your experience may vary.
The frozen yogurt is finished churning when it looks like soft-serve and is pulling away from the sides of the canister.
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STORE
When the frozen yogurt has finished churning, scoop it as quickly as possible into your storage container. Cover it with plastic wrap or parchment paper, if using. (Placing a sheet of parchment paper between the container and lid will help prevent frost, or you can press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream.) Put the container in the freezer. The ice cream will be fully firm in a few hours.
Note
You can use any unflavored, unsweetened protein powder you want. Whey, collagen, and egg white work the best. Vegan protein powders can work too, but sometimes create a chalky texture. Because different protein powders have different textures, the same volume of different powders may weigh different amounts. Weighing is the best method for ensuring you get the 65 grams the recipe calls for, but here are some estimates for using a cup measurement:
- 65 g collagen powder = 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons
- 65 g whey protein = 1 scant cup
- 65 g egg white protein = 3/4 cup
- 65 g soy protein = 1 cup
Optional additions:
- 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol -- Adding alcohol improves the texture and scoopability of the final product and gives a little kick of extra flavor. Tequila or vodka would be good choices here.
Recommended equipment: (may include affiliate links)
- My ice cream maker (2 qt)
- Newer version of my ice cream maker (2 qt)
- Well-reviewed less expensive ice cream maker (1.5 qt)
- Insulated ice cream container
- Heat-proof spatula
- Immersion/hand blender
- Ice cream scoop
Recommended ingredients: (may include affiliate links)
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