Cheat’s Frozen Yogurt with Cherry Compote

I love summer as it means warm and sunny, colourful, BBQ, and lots of fruits to eat! I have a soft spot for berries; they look pretty, colourful and tasty. During summer, when I go food shopping, those berries at the fruits section always catch my attention. Admiring them from far, it seems that they are waving at me and say ‘buy and eat me’!

How to make Frozen Yogurt with Cherry Compote

Amongst so many kinds of berries, one of my favourites has to be cherries! I went to farmers market last week to get some fresh produce and saw lots of cherries on display. They looked plum and juicy. Without thinking much, I bought 1kg for about £5.00. At first, I was planning to eat half of them raw. And the other half, to bake something. Then, I remembered I baked Cherry Clafoutis last year, so, this time I will make something different.

cherries-in-pan

I decided to use all the cherries that I bought to make into compote. Compote can be made by cooking whole or slices of fruits with sugar. A little bit of water is added along with the sugar to the fruits in a saucepan and cook over a gentle heat. Vanilla can be used to infuse the syrup if desired. I opted for vanilla sugar, which I always keep a pot in my kitchen. Making compote is very easy, you can use whatever fruits that you want. Cook on low heat to warm and break it down slightly. Compote can be used as a base for a dessert or eat accompany with ice cream, breakfast porridge, pancakes or even on its own!

As a yogurt lover, I naturally think of thick and creamy greek yogurt! Apart of eating greek yogurt with greek honey, I think I will not say no to serve it with cherry compote. Instead of using the yogurt as how it is, I decided to make cheats frozen yogurt! No, I don’t have that little gadget called ice-cream maker, so, I did it the manual way. Well, I am guess the texture is probably not as smooth as what is churned using ice-cream maker. So, I just make do with it. I will be thinking of getting a small ice-cream maker one day, perhaps. But, for now, I still enjoy this simple yet delicious dessert. 😉
Cheats Frozen Yogurt with Cherry Compote

Yield:
Ingredients:
1.5kg cherry, leave whole or halved
1.5kg greek yourt
8-9 tbsp vanilla sugar
2 tbsp water
Method:
1. Pour the yogurt into a small plastic container and put in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes. Once the ice crystal starts to form on the surface and edges, use a whisk or fork to mix and break the ice crystal. Put back to the freezer. Check every 30 minutes and give it a vigorous stir. Repeat this about 3-4 times. Then, Freeze for 6 hours or until almost set. Transfer to a food processor. Process until smooth. Return to container the fridge.

2. To prepare cherry compote, put all the cherries and sugar in a saucepan. Add in 1 tbsp of water and cook over a gentle heat for about 10-15 minutes. Once the cherries start to soften, turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Pour the mixture into a fine sieve to separate the solids from the juice. Place the solids into a bowl. Return the juice in the saucepan and cook over slow heat until it reduces and thickens. Allow it to cool and combine with the cherries.

3. Spoon a big dollop of frozen yogurt on individual bowl or dish. Then, serve enough portion of cherry compote by the side. Store compote in a airtight glass containers/jar and can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Cherry is a product that positively affects the functioning of the digestive system. Berries of this plant improve appetite, increase the production of digestive juices, activate intestinal motility, have a laxative effect and help cope with long-term constipation. Sweet cherry twigs are used to treat chronic colitis and intestinal atony.
Cherry juice is an effective antipyretic agent.
As part of the intestinal pulp there is a whole complex of substances that positively affect the work of the blood-forming system (iron, cobalt, etc.). For this reason, berries of this plant should be included in the diet of people suffering from anemia.
Cherry fruits and drinks prepared on their basis have a positive effect on the work of the nervous system, helping to reduce the negative impact of stressful situations on the body. Folk healers advise eating them for insomnia, depression, mental disorders and epilepsy.
Fresh cherries, as well as cherry syrups and juices, are used as an effective expectorant for bronchitis or cataracts of the respiratory tract. The medicinal properties of the juice increase when diluted with milk (in equal proportions).
Elagic acid is present in the flesh of the cherry, it is a compound with hemostatic and hypotensive properties, which strengthens the walls of blood vessels and is able to prevent the development of the full range of heart disease. This component has also been shown to block the processes that cause cancer cells to grow, reducing the risk of a wide range of oncological diseases.
Cherry juice has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
Regular consumption of sour cherries helps to eliminate salts and harmful cholesterol from the body. Substances present in their composition, reduce the harmful effects of radiation on the human body.