Today Is a Good Day to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter-Covered Frozen Berry Yogurt Truffles
It takes 10 minutes max, too.
In case you didn’t know, I’ve been on a wellness journey—something I intend to write more about at a different time, even though no one asked for it. But briefly: I started doing keto around the time I started my Pilates teaching certification program this past spring, in part because it seemed kind of dumb not to. After all, I’m already investing all this money that requires hours and hours of physical practice—I’m not really doing myself any favors by not paying attention to my diet.
The diet is controversial, mainly an issue for those without a foundational understanding of what constitutes healthy eating and use it as an excuse to eat bacon-wrapped cheese all day. There are also the Dr. Steven Gundry cultists, who’s latest book Unlocking the Keto Code is a pretty compelling read and dives into the science behind it. For my part, I consume more meat and cheese than I had on a mostly plant-based diet, but find that my plate is usually composed of a satiating mix of lean meats, nuts, greens and berries. The caveat, of course, is not having a bunch of other stuff that happens to be in everything: sugar and carbs, including legumes, starches, and other fruits and vegetables that contain high amounts of these. So, the number one question I usually get is: what do you miss?
A certain amount of self-brainwashing is required to avoid 99% of desserts and bread. Ending on a sweet note has always been a fundamental part of Western dining structure and culture, after all, with bakers and pastry makers saving the best for last. But once you get used to eliminating it from your diet and the loneliness of becoming a social pariah, it becomes easier as the palate grows more sensitive to sweet things and the body reacts assertively when breaking keto (something I’ll probably work on before going to France because I think it’s actually illegal to not eat bread there).
While there are many keto work-arounds—as well as the bonus of being in walking distance to Blaine Merritt Caravaggi’s fantastic Off The Wheat stall at the Union Square Farmer’s Market—as a food person, I’ve kind of appreciated the challenge of getting creative in my own kitchen, while as a lazy person, I don’t want to put a lot of effort in. So, a few weeks ago, I came across a viral TikTok recipe for blueberry yogurt clusters and thought, “Oh, I should do this.” The challenge: my teeny tiny West Village studio refrigerator is a little less than 5-feet high, which has made certain preparation nearly impossible, particularly if it involves a sheet-tray in the freezer.
Long story short (because if you’re like me, you want to get straight to the recipe), I was influenced and ended up developing this keto-friendly recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate-Covered Frozen Berry Yogurt Truffles after realizing that I not only had all the ingredients on hand, but there are so many possibilities for variations! Think: frozen Mounds with coconut flakes and coconut extract; white-chocolate covered funfetti bon bons; or even a frozen Reese’s. Once I realized I could easily do this with my silicon ice cube tray, I didn’t have to worry about taking up a lot of space and it was naturally conducive to portion-control. Plus, I had to get rid of my ice cream maker before I moved in, so the recipe needed to be no-churn. And yet, facing these challenges resulted in a recipe that was significantly easier. Imagine that.
The secret: an alternative sugar like allulose or monkfruit. Sugar is an important binding agent to maintain that creamy texture, but also cuts through the tartness of the yogurt. I tried making these without the sugar just to see how it went and as predicted it was hard a rock (though I kind of liked the sourness of the yogurt, particularly sweetened with cherries). Most frozen yogurt recipes will have up to 1 cup of sugar; my version contains less so that it’s a little less creamy, but also a little more tart. So, if you want a softer and sweeter frozen yogurt, I recommend increasing to 1/3 or 1/2 cup. You could also add yogurt with a higher fat percentage, but less sugar, like labneh.
Either way, it’s an extremely cool, delicious, smart and super easy summer recipe, no matter what your diet is. It just happens to be healthy, too!
Here’s how to do it:
Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter-Covered Frozen Berry Yogurt Truffles
Time: 5 minutes to make; plus 2 hours for freezing
Serves: About 15 truffles
Ingredients:
2 cups full fat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup sugar alternative*, monkfruit sugar or allulose
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup berries, your choice plus extra for topping
1/4 cup low-sugar dark chocolate, like Theo 85% or Lily’s dark chocolate baking chips
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon organic, all-natural peanut butter
Note: To expedite the freezing process, stick yogurt in the freezer for 30 minutes before mixing—but if you miss this step, it’s OK.
In a Vitamix or blender, combine yogurt, sugar, and vanilla extract until liquid and frothy in consistency. Add berries and blend until thoroughly mixed, reserving some to decorate or stud for texture (preferably fresh berries frozen, but store bought is fine). Disperse evenly in ice cube tray and freeze, roughly 1 hour. You can also stick chunks of chopped berries for more texture and color.
In a double boiler, melt dark chocolate, coconut oil, and peanut butter, stirring consistently until blended. Allow to cool slightly.
Removing frozen yogurt cubes from the tray, place onto a sheet of parchment paper then brush each side with the melted chocolate peanut butter mixture until coated. Place truffles in a freezer-safe tupperware and return to the freezer for another 10 minutes, or until frozen. Enjoy!
*Increase to 1/3 or 1/2 cup sugar for creamier texture and sweeter taste
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