Love is in the air

There's a certain something in the air these days. A throbbing sound? No, that's the band next door practicing. Perfume? Could be, but it's not me. Ah, I know what it is - ice cream! Yes, ever since a certain someone released a certain book it seems that people everywhere, not just food bloggers, are going bananas (and strawberries, and caramel, and chocolate) for frozen desserts.

I had just finished making the divine Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream when a tub of fresh strawberries came into my house. Hmmm, what to do? Shortcake, nah, been there, done that. A pie or a trifle? Too time consuming. Or maybe the heavenly Strawberry Frozen Yogurt on David Lebovitz's site would do. It did. Perfectly.

The Frozen Yogurt perfectly captured the fresh strawberry taste with a wonderful texture, not too granular, not too heavy. My family loved it and it didn't take long for us to enjoy the whole quart. Piggies? Perhaps, but happy, contented piggies with delightful ruby-lipped smiles.

I am finding how easy it is to make ice cream when I keep the Donvier tub in the freezer. I whip the ingredients together, chill, if called for, and then pop into the ice cream freezer, giving it a couple of turns every 3 to 5 minutes and in less than 1/2 an hour it's done. And it's so easy my kids beg to take turns. Plus, no mess or hassle with ice and salt, which is how we used to hand crank our ice cream. For some reason, that only happened once a year at most. Now with easy ice cream within my grasp the only worries are the grocery bill and how much of it I'll eat. Oh, and how soon my copy of The Perfect Scoop will come!

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt by David Lebovitz

About 1 quart (1 liter)

French yogurt is astoundingly good and I suggest you use a good-quality, locally-produced yogurt for similar results.

1 pound (450 g) strawberries, rinsed and hulled
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
optional: 2 teaspoons vodka or kirsch
1 cup (240 g) plain, whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Slice the strawberries into small pieces. Toss in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch (if using) until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring every so often.

Transfer the strawberries and their juice to a blender or food processor. Add the yogurt and fresh lemon juice. Pulse the machine until the mixture is almost smooth. If you wish, press mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds.

Chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.