Scooped: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt has a bad rep as that stuff you're supposed to eat instead of fatty, creamy ice cream. And if you buy that, you also buy that your frozen yogurt shouldn't be fatty and creamy (i.e., the texturally delicious experience you so often want from a frozen dessert). The cruel joke, of course, is that the healthified fro-yo we get at groceries and "good for you" by-the-ounce dispensaries is not only texturally unsatisfying; it also doesn't taste like actual yogurt. And after you add all those junky toppings to make it taste like something, it's not that great for you either.

It shouldn't be this way. Frozen yogurt should be creamy and rich just like any other ice cream, and it should also be tart, bright, and full of tangy yogurt flavor. This recipe, which I'm inclined to call ice cream as much as frozen yogurt, is an expression of how you can have it all.

It's a strawberry frozen yogurt that earnestly tastes like real strawberries—by volume this is half strawberry purée. The other half is rich Greek yogurt, which is the extra rich, extra fatty, extra tangy Hulk of the fermented dairy world. Mix them together with some sugar, lemon, and not much else, and you have a bright, clean, fruity dessert that still has the punch of real dairy. (Though I'll admit, a couple drizzles of St. Germain on top is a pretty wonderful addition that adds a lot of complexity.)

Like many strawberry ice creams and sorbets, this does firm up fairly hard. It doesn't have a ton of sugar or fat, both of which would mask the flavor of the fruit. So be sure to let this defrost on the counter for 10 minutes or so, if not longer. You should really eat it as soft serve, which is when it's at its light, creamy best. Make the base and churn it in small batches if you like.

Oh, and in case you were wondering: yes, this is totally okay to eat for breakfast.