Ohhh finally! Today I tried frozen kefir! I’ve been thinking about it since last summer, and finally, I satisfied the craving! With great satisfaction. 😋
It’s not a new recipe, though. This frozen-mania has been a trend for a few years now, and the yogurt version is the most widespread and known. Indeed, it seems that its popularity is increasing, as I come across some pictures of frozen yogurt of all shapes and kinds every day, and the scorching heat we’re enduring surely helps this spread.
Thus, with the desire to eat fresh things without falling into the temptation of creamy ice cream every time, here I am, fresh from a frozen-experiment just concluded. Of course, I didn’t use yogurt but milk kefir of which my fridge is abundant.
If you are also homemade producers, you know well that the excess of kefir is almost inevitable, and therefore all those recipes with yogurt are welcome… to be kefirized. 😀😉
My frozen kefir is freely derived from two recipes:
Michela gave me the initial inspiration, who posted a frozen yogurt with strawberries and chocolate (this recipe) in my group, which prompted me to experiment. But then a kefir recipe (this) from an American blog I stumbled upon – one of the few frozen kefirs I’ve found online (few compared to the multitude of frozen yogurts existing) – confirmed that the idea I had of using maple syrup and adding nuts were two good ingredients to go for.
But there is something more in my frozen kefir. 😊
While preparing the recipe, I decided to add an unplanned ingredient, which I haven’t seen used in the frozen yogurts I’ve come across so far: grated coconut. Oh, it’s not that big of an idea, let’s face it, but it was a last-minute idea when I was already pouring the mixture into the first bowl and… given how much we liked the result, I’d say it was indeed a winning idea! Oh yeah! 🙆♀️
Well, are you ready? My frozen kefir bark awaits you!
☝ If you have an excess of kefir that you don’t know how to use, I remind you that all my kefir recipes are found in the collection linked below, and I add a couple of fresh recipes that I am sure will interest you in these hot summer days 😊👇
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 12 pieces
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 250 g homemade milk kefir (or yogurt)
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup (about 2 oz)
- 25 blueberries
- 1 nectarine
- 5 nuts
- 6 teaspoons grated coconut (shredded)
Tools
- Cocottes ceramic with high edge
How to Get Frozen Kefir in a Few Steps:
The process is really simple, just a few easy steps. However, I urge you to read the notes and tips I will list at the end, useful for achieving the best result. 🙂
1. Pour the maple syrup into the kefir.
2. Mix well.
3. Add the coconut (optional, see note at the end).
4. Line three or four cocottes (mine are 5.5×4 inches) or a low-sided tray with parchment paper.
👉 The size of the tray (or trays, if small) is not fundamental, it depends on the thickness of the frozen kefir you want to obtain. I opted for a thickness of about half an inch (or more) because I wanted the pieces of fruit to sink in, and to divide the mixture into small bowls because I have a drawer freezer where it’s easier to store them (instead of using a single tray, more suitable for a chest freezer).
5. Wash the fruit, cut the nectarine into pieces. I left the skin on but if you prefer it can be peeled.
6. Roughly chop the nuts.
7. Pour the kefir into the trays, then add the fruit and nuts, arranging everything irregularly, as you like.
8. Put in the freezer for the necessary time for freezing (which may vary according to the thickness of the kefir layer). I kept it in the freezer for 3 and a half hours.
9. Remove from the freezer.
To remove the frozen kefir from the bowls, just lift it by the edges of the parchment paper (unless it has overflowed, in that case, just wait a few minutes for it to soften just enough to detach it).
10. Use a knife to cut the frozen block into bars, or break it irregularly.
Eat immediately! 😋 I wish you a good frozen-snack!
Since the frozen kefir (especially now with the heat!) defrosts quickly, I recommend:
🔶 cutting it into fairly small pieces, which should not be held in hand for too long;
🔶 putting the pieces back in the freezer after cutting them (directly with the whole plate or tray you cut them on) for at least ten minutes before serving.
🔷 I chose to sweeten the kefir with maple syrup (I just bought it, I have to use it, right? 😀), but if you know my recipe for Kefir with Puffed Amaranth you already know that I love sweetening it with agave syrup so if you have it at home feel free to use it. Also, I want to pass on this information regarding honey: it can be used as a sweetener for kefir, but according to some studies, since honey is a natural antibacterial, it can counteract the action of bacteria and yeasts present in kefir. For this reason, it would be good to avoid sweetening kefir with honey, or possibly limit yourself to adding it only at the time of consumption (i.e., not letting it rest).
🔷 If you like kefir you can easily omit the coconut, but if you have family members who are resistant to kefir, the coconut adds that extra taste that very well masks the typical acidic aftertaste of kefir, which unfortunately for some people is the main obstacle to consuming kefir. Sometimes it takes little, just finding the right ingredient, right? 😊
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