Recipe 29: Cucumber, Honeydew, and Cayenne Frozen Yogurt

I love cucumber, especially when it’s combined with something else.  Cucumber water is so very refreshing, cucumber melon is pretty much the best scent on the planet, and tzatziki is the perfect cool companion to finger foods.

So when I saw this Cucumber, Honeydew, and Cayenne Frozen Yogurt recipe in Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer, I knew I had to try it.  However, I hadn’t made frozen yogurt yet, and I was a little leery about the inclusion of cayenne pepper.  After all, Sriracha did fundamentally change an excellent Earl Grey Ice Cream recipe.

I needn’t have worried.  This recipe maintained its cool and refreshing promise, each spoonful melting on the tongue and soothing it.  The flavors of cucumber and honeydew are strong and combine well with the slightly sour and tart flavors of the cream cheese and yogurt.  The cayenne is barely present, just the slightest burn in the back of the throat (It’s really just there to bring out the other flavors.).  It’s a wonderful companion to a hard, stressful day at work and a good complement to a cool, wet afternoon.

Ingredients

• Frozen Yogurt Base
• 1 ¼ cups plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• Cucumber-Honeydew Syrup
• 1/8 medium honeydew
• ½ Japanese cucumber*
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

*You can find this at most Asian markets.  Look for it in the spring and late summer.

Directions

1. Make the cucumber-honeydew syrup first.  Slice the rind from the melon.  Cut the flesh into chunks and puree in a food processor or blender.  Measure out 1/3 cup honeydew puree.
2. Peel the cucumber, halve lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.  Cut into chunks and puree in a food processor or blender.  Measure out ¼ cup cucumber puree.
3. Combine the honeydew, cucumber, sugar, and cayenne in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Do not boil.  Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. Next make the frozen yogurt base.  Start by mixing about 3 tablespoons milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.  Set aside.  Then whisk the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth.  Set aside.  Finally fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.
5. Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
6. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring a heatproof spatula until slightly thickened – about 1 minute.  Remove from heat.
7. Gradually whisk in ½ cup of the hot milk mixture at a time into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined and smooth.  Add the 1 ¼ cup yogurt.  Pour the cucumber-honeydew syrup in through a fine mesh sieve.  Whisk together until smooth.
8. Place the mixture in its bowl in the ice bath and leave until lukewarm.  Then transfer into a 1 galloon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag into the ice bath.  Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold – about 30 minutes.
9. Pour the frozen yogurt base into the ice cream machine’s canister and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
10. Once churned, transfer to a freezer-safe container.  Press a sheet of cling wrap directly against the surface and seal the container.  Freeze until firm – at least 4 hours.

As I said earlier, this was my first attempt at frozen yogurt, and I was a bit leery of it.  However, it turned out really well with a clean, nuanced, delicious flavor and a soft texture.  It’s not anything like the “frozen yogurt” you’d find in a frozen yogurt store, but it’s better: it doesn’t melt as fast, it has a better flavor, and you can really taste the yogurt.  I’d like to try some different recipes in the future, especially ones that incorporate more sugar – I think that would get the really smooth texture I prefer.  If you want to learn more about how to make frozen yogurt and what it is, click this link from Serious Eats.  Otherwise, enjoy!

Overview

• Base prep time: 45 minutes
• Base chill time: 1 hour
• Frozen yogurt set time: at least 4 hours
• Taste: strong notes of cucumber and honeydew with lingering touches of cream cheese and frozen yogurt and a slight but pleasure burn at the back of the throat; very smooth with a slight sour/tart flavor
• Difficulty: medium
• Expense level: medium
• Makes: approximately 5 cups