Frozen coconut yogurt, cultured and dairy-free

A frozen, tangy, spoonable treat is a real pleasure, and this one is built entirely from coconut and a fermenting culture, no dairy anywhere. You culture coconut cream into yogurt first, then sweeten it lightly and churn it into something cold and soft. It takes most of a day, and nearly all of that time is the cultures working while you do other things.

The tang is real yogurt tang, made the real way. Coconut cream and the powder from probiotic capsules sit together on a warm yogurt setting for about 12 hours, and the cultures turn the cream bright and a little sour. Coconut cream carries the medium-chain fats and richness of the flesh. The honey or fruit juice stirred in at the end is a light, modest touch of sweetness, not the center of the dish. Fermented foods are studied for their role in supporting a varied gut microbiome, worth saying plainly and gently rather than overstating.

There is something steadying about a treat you make slowly and keep in the freezer for later. A small bowl of this is a real, simple pleasure. Make a batch and let it wait for the evening you want it.

Ingredients

• 4 cups coconut cream (about 4.5 of the 7-ounce creamed-coconut packages, per the source)
• The powder from 2 probiotic capsules (the source names a multi-strain capsule; strength varies by brand)
• 1/3 cup honey or fruit juice

Method

Mix the coconut cream and probiotic powder together in sterilized mason jars. Cap them and culture on a yogurt setting, about twelve hours in an Instant Pot or per your yogurt maker.

Move the jars to the refrigerator until cold. Stir well, because the cream separates thick on top as it sits.

Stir in honey or fruit juice to taste. Then churn the mixture in an ice cream maker per its instructions until it reaches a soft, frozen texture.

The ratios here are forgiving since it freezes anyway, so you have room to adjust the sweetness to your own taste.

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*