Coconut-Pineapple Yogurt Ice Cream
2 cups whole milk yogurt (if you have or want to make your own yogurt with half-and-half, even better. I used the European Style Organic Whole Milk Yogurt from Trader Joe's)
Honey (how much you use depends on preference - the original recipe called for 1/2 cup, yesterday I put about 3 Tbsp in and next time I might use a little bit less. It doesn't taste too sweet if you use the whole 1/2 cup [I have tried it before with the full amount], I just prefer to use the smallest amount of sweetener possible. Also, keep in mind that the less honey you use, the tangier the ice cream is going to taste because of the yogurt.)
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract (don't use the fake stuff. Also, you can substitute 2 tsp almond extract if you prefer the flavor, are out of vanilla [like I was last night!] or if it will go better with what you are putting into the ice cream. If you go with my mom's cherry almond idea, you are definitely going to want to go with the almond extract!)
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and place in an ice cream maker and make according to manufacturer's directions. You can either finish at this point or proceed and put some deliciousness in it!
Here's the problem, I don't really measure when I don't have to, so I'm not terribly sure how much pineapple and coconut I put in the ice cream!! I pretty much just added by small handfuls until I thought I had enough... So, just add what you feel it needs! :)
Canned pineapple (crushed is best, but you can also cut/crush up your own tidbits or chunks depending on what you have on hand - I had chunks on hand, so made do. I think I used between 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup, plus a splash or so of the pineapple juice from the can)
Toasted coconut flakes (sprinkle coconut flakes on a baking sheet and place in 350 degree oven for about 3 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it because it goes from white to dark brown/black really fast!! Yes, it did happen to me last night! I probably put about 1/2 cup of the second coconut batch in the ice cream.)
Mix add-ins into the ice cream and eat if you like soft serve or put ice cream in a freezer-safe container and place in freezer for a few hours until harder.
As I experiment more and more, I'll mention what other add-ins I try (and I'll try to remember to measure them!) and how they turned out. If you experiment any, let me know! I'd love to hear how it worked for you and what you came up with! :)
Bon appetit!!
Blessings in Christ,
