Pomegranate & Coconut Frozen Yogurt Bark
This one's a really easy after school snack, or after a long work when you can't be bothered to whip up anything and just want something fresh and fast. It doesn't even need any equipment but the freezer. Not even a popsicle stick or mould!
If you've never had a frozen yogurt bark, you're in for a treat. It's not quiet like a popsicle, it's almost like a white chocolate bar that melts in your mouth. Maybe a yogurt bar? These are great for kids or a quick snack when you just want a little nibble and not a whole portion. The only downside is that it's not exactly a portable snack, guess what: it melts! ;)
The inspiration for this recipe came from my love of this renowned frozen yogurt that has a coconut white chocolate sauce topping! It was heavenly. Yogurt and coconut are meant to be soulmates.
I've made homemade frozen yogurt before, and it's way more time consuming than this. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you'd need to aerate and whip the frozen yogurt every hour or so. With this, you don't need to! Simply mix, spread and freeze. The next day it'll be ready to slice and munch on!
Even better, this one has a punch of nutritional powerhouse: pomegranate peel! Just like the seeds, the peel has amazing health benefits. It's rich in vitamin C, prevent breakdown of your collagen and delay signs of waging! It's a dream come true for your skin problems AND it's a cancer-fighting powerhouse, helps with hypertension and immunity!
I should say that with the probiotics, all the detoxifying properties and vitamin C from the pomegranate and good fat from the coconut, this one classifies as a beauty snack.Yay to eating for beauty!
Pomegranate & Coconut Fro-yo Bark
Makes around 6 3-inch bars.
Ingredients
1 cup any plain, thick textured yogurt (greek and natural set yogurt works well)*
1 tbsp honey
1-2 tbsp coconut cream** (skip this if you don't have them, tastes great even without it!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
1/8 cup coconut flakes, toasted
1/8 cup pomegranate seeds or other fruit of choice like berries!
Directions
1. Toast coconut flakes on a frying pan with a low-medium heat for about a minute until browned. Keep an eye on it and be careful not too burn. Set aside and cool down for 10 minutes.
2. Line a baking tray or any freezer-safe dish with a parchment paper for easier removal later.
3. Then mix all the ingredients above, except for the toppings.
4. Pour mixture unto the lined freezer-safe dish and spread evenly into about 1 half cm thick.
5. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and toasted coconut flakes that has been cooled down.
6. Freezer overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours until set. Then with a knife, slice into squares or rectangles or simply snap it with your hands. Enjoy!
*Full-fat and low-fat greek yogurt freezes the best, with no ice crystals (fat and the alcohol in vanilla extract helps with freezing). You can also use any plant-based yogurt as long as it has a thick texture. If you can only find yogurt with a runny consistency, simply strain it overnight with a cheese cloth (also called tofu cloth here in Asia) over a strainer and on top of a bowl. The liquid will separate and pour into the bowl below as the yogurt above thickens. In the morning, discard the water (or use it as a base in smoothies) and place the remaining yogurt in a container. 500 grams of runny yogurt will make about 200 grams of greek yogurt.
**Do not use coconut milk. Coconut cream is thicker and coconut milk will only liquify the mixture too much and will form ice crystals when frozen. I use a store-brought brand called kl*tu that is inexpensive and can be easily found in any supermarket in Indonesia. If you can't find it, you can skip it if you want. Just the coconut flakes will do.
