Ice cream! We are barely feeling spring here, but I am starting to get a taste for something cold and creamy. Ever since Sweet Paul’s special For Kids Issue came out, I’ve been thinking about trying out the recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip frozen yogurt. Making ice cream (or frozen yogurt) is super simple with the right equipment and would be a great kitchen activity for kids; we love our Cuisinart and keep a bowl in the freezer for when the mood strikes, but you could just as easily put an eager ice-cream fan to work with some rock salt and a hand-cranked machine.
We gathered the ingredients listed in the recipe (here): fresh mint, honey, sugar, chocolate chips, Greek yogurt, and buttermilk, and got to work.
I was a pretty picky kid and the only true Mint Chocolate Chip in my opinion was the version at Baskin-Robins, with its chocolate slivers (versus large chips). To replicate that, we used a cheese knife and chopped up a bar rather than using a bag of chocolate chips.
One thing that appealed to the adult in me was the use of Greek yogurt (as opposed to custard) for a base: the high protein content would be a nice balance to all the sugar. And when you make your own frozen yogurt, you have the option of adding food coloring–or not. There was recently an article in the New York Times quoting a study published in The Lancet noting that food coloring may increase hyperactivity in children prone to ADHD, so we opted for a green-free mint chip.
In the end, I’m not sure the picky Baskin-Robbins fan would approve of the white, yogurt-based version of her favorite flavor–but who knows? Everything changes when you have a hand in the process. For the Pinkberry-accustomed child of 2011, however, this would be delicious! In fact, I would take down the sugar and honey a bit and just add another cup of mint leaves in the next go-round. And there will be one.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Buttermilk and Greek yogurt? Sold.
This made me want ice cream so much!! (also summer!) love both blogs, congrats on the little one
you are such a cute expectant mother!
making ice cream reminds me of being in kindergarten- we made it for a class experiment!
Thanks, guys! We’re still finishing up the “pint” and it was even better after a night in the freezer.
Um, that sounds delicious! I’ve been on a huge ice cream kick through this whole pregnancy and that just looks dreamy!
Yum!! I am totally trying this for the summertime. Thank you for sharing. Now if it would only be warmer in Seattle….
And your photos are beautiful!
Thank you! I share credit with Aron–he takes great photos.
I was (and still am) a BR Mint Chocolate Chip diehard… I’ll indulge in others but nothing beats those perfect little chocolate slivers!
There’s something about it, right?
The cheese plane and chocolate bar does a nice job of replicating the chocolate, at least–though the fresh mint is quite different.
looks and sounds delicious
xo
oh wow. this looks so delicious!
I think one of your advertisements caused my internet browser to resize, you might want to put that on your blacklist.
i have to admit – BR’s mint choc chip is my all-time fave as well. nothing can touch it. as lauren said, it really is the slivers!! but that doesn’t mean that i won’t be trying this recipe STAT. looks amazing! thanks for sharing — and thanks for stopping by the blog!