Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

Here's a decadent tasting dessert!  Peanut butter and chocolate of course go together, but as a frozen treat, it's even better. I have an ice cream maker, but it's not needed for this recipe.

It's practically just: dump ingredients into a bowl, beat together and freeze. Before freezing it has a thick pudding-like texture, but when frozen, offers a rich, creamy ice cream-like treat.

When wanting to make a smaller batch of ice cream, instead of a half gallon, this is my go to recipe.  Kids and grand kids will like it, especially if making popsicles or fudgesicle shaped.



Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt
1 14 oz. can of condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tab. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups yogurt
1 cup cream preferred, but milk or half and half will work too
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

In a large bowl, first beat until smooth: condensed milk, peanut butter, vanilla and salt.

Add yogurt, cream, and cocoa. Beat on low until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Freeze in a 5-6 cup container or individual popsicle or fudgesicle-size servings until firm, about 4 hours. Makes about 5 cups -10, 1/2-cup servings.

Estimated cost $.4.00 or less; .40 cents a serving or less.

Homemade Yogurt with Powdered Milk

My sister shared this recipe using powdered milk in the mid-70s, which I fondly refer to as my "Mother Earth Days." 

That's when I was raising young children, making fruit leather and granola, planting a large garden, canning, raising chickens, and "yes" making yogurt which became very popular, but was not readily available in grocery stores like today.

There's many recipes easily available on the internet these days or featured on cooking shows using yogurt as a substitute for mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk or base for creamed dressings to cut calories. 

It's handy to have on hand mixing with fruits or cereals for breakfast or mixed with berries and frozen for popsicles or ice cream. 

This recipe make a half gallon, but can be cut in half to make one quart. You'll need to buy plain yogurt, (a small cup size will do) which has an active culture to use as a starter. Read the ingredient label, making sure it says "live active culture."

Frozen Blackberry Yogurt

 I keep a 4-pound box of powdered milk on hand for baking breads, making creamed sauces and soups, or for an emergency when running short on milk.


                      Homemade Yogurt with Powdered Milk

• Put 1 tablespoon of warm water in a measuring cup and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin.  Set aside for 3 minutes until transparent and set.
• Add boiling water to gelatin mixture to measure 1 cup.  Add 1 tablespoon sugar, stir to dissolve, and cool.
• In a large bowl mix 3 cups of non-fat dry powdered milk into 3 cups of water.  Stir to dissolve.  Add a large can of evaporated milk, 2 cups of tepid water, gelatin mixture and lastly, 3 tablespoons of plain "active" yogurt.  Stir to blend ingredients.  Place plastic wrap-over bowl.
• Heat oven to 275 degrees.  Place bowl in oven, turn off oven.  Let set overnight, about 6 to 8 hours until set.

Use for dips, sauces, frozen desserts or recipes calling for yogurt. Makes nearly a half gallon. Wild blackberries grow in my yard, so I always have them on hand in the freezer.

Estimated Cost: $1.60 or less; .80 cents a quart or less.

I discovered this site on Pinterest which shows a way to make yogurt in a slow cooker from regular milk and an active yogurt culture.  I plan to try it next time I make a batch.

http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/2010/07/07/homemade-yogurt/

Source: simpleorganizedliving.com via Gail on Pinterest