Name: Vanilla Frozen Yogurt (Reduced Sugar)
Total time: 9 h 45 min
Ingredients: 1 quart plain whole-milk yogurt; 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin; 1 vanilla bean; ½ cup maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ⅛ teaspoon salt

Why This Recipe Works

For naturally sweetened, pleasantly tart vanilla frozen yogurt with the creamy, smooth texture of premium ice cream, we started with plain whole-milk yogurt. Maple syrup was the optimal sweetener: It offered just the right amount of rounded sweetness without being distracting. To develop distinct, nuanced vanilla flavor, we used a whole vanilla bean along with a small amount of extract. Sugar helps to prevent ice crystals from forming in ice cream and frozen yogurt, but with the small amount we were using we needed to find a different way to avoid an icy texture. Instead, we used just a bit of gelatin, which we bloomed in the strained yogurt liquid to keep our recipe streamlined. Finally, we prevented large ice crystals from forming by allowing the frozen yogurt base to cool to 40 degrees or lower before churning.

Before You Begin

You can increase the vanilla extract to 1 tablespoon if you don’t have a vanilla bean, though the flavor will be duller. We prefer to use whole-milk yogurt in this recipe; the frozen yogurt will be less creamy if you substitute low-fat yogurt.

Instructions

Line colander or fine-mesh strainer with triple layer of cheesecloth and place over large bowl. Place yogurt in colander, cover with plastic wrap (wrap should not touch yogurt), and refrigerate until at least 1¼ cups liquid has drained from yogurt, at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours.

Discard ¾ cup of drained liquid and return remaining liquid to bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Microwave mixture until bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using tip of paring knife, scrape out seeds; discard bean. Add seeds to warm gelatin mixture and let cool for 5 minutes.

In large bowl, whisk drained yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and cooled gelatin mixture until well combined and smooth. Place bowl over ice bath, or cover and refrigerate, until yogurt mixture registers 40 degrees or lower.

Transfer mixture to ice cream machine and churn until mixture has consistency of thick soft-serve and registers about 21 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer frozen yogurt to airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Serve.