Michelle Darmody: Frozen berry yogurt cake is a real treat
vanilla ice cream cake with frozen berries , selective focus
Yogurt is often relegated to the breakfast table but it is a very versatile ingredient for making cakes and desserts. I remember being on holidays in Spain some years ago and being served a small bowl of creamy, natural yogurt after my dinner, simply topped with toasted nuts and honey. I was a bit disappointed at not being served a rich chocolaty concoction, but as I ate the yogurt I was completely won over. It was the perfect end to the meal. Simple healthy desserts made with yogurt and fruit or nuts and are beautifully refreshing. These cakes are more of a treat — all quite rich in their own way, a pick-me-up on a dull winter's day.
Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with cultures until it thickens and slightly sours. This sour taste adds a uniqueness to yogurt and also provides good bacteria for the human gut. The sugars in the milk ferment to produce lactic acid which reacts with the proteins in the milk to create the smooth thick texture as well as the tart flavour. Greek yogurt is the name usually given to a thicker set natural yogurt: this is best used for the Cocoa Icing and also in the Frozen Berry Cake. It can in fact be used in all of the other recipes as well, but a more standard natural yogurt would also work.
