Frozen Labneh
Category
Dessert
Servings/Yield
Makes about 1 quart
Author
Christian Leue
Using the purée from my Fresh Piña Colada is an easy and fun way to make a delicious frozen dessert. Comapeño and poblano chilis brighten and enhance the fruit flavors, the dairy in the labneh balancing their heat. It's reminiscent of eating fruit with Tajín, like I used to as a kid growing up in California.
Ingredients
Juice and flesh of 1 young coconut (about 12 fluid ounces)‡
2 cups of chopped fresh pineapple*
3 cups of the fresh purée, chilled
1 cup of labneh (or full-fat Greek yogurt if you can't find labneh)
Sugar syrup (to taste)
-
Jalapeño powder
-
Espelette
Fresh Purée
Frozen Labneh
Directions
Make the purée
Using a sharp knife remove any excess pith from the top of the fresh coconut, exposing the pointy top.
Identify the edge of where you cleared away the pith, this is where you will make a hole using a sturdy oyster knife.
Carefully but forcefully plunge the oyster knife into the coconut.
Twist the knife and gently lift the point towards the center and you should be able to pop out a neat circle from the shell, it may take a few tries to get a hang of the motion.
Drain the water inside into a bowl and using a spoon scoop the flesh from the inside of the coconut and add it to the bowl as well.
Mix the pineapple chunks and coconut juice/flesh in a blender and process until smooth.
For an even smoother purée you can pass it through a strainer or chinois.
Frozen Labneh
Whisk all ingredients together except for the chilis. You can do this in a blender if you want to save time.
Taste and adjust sweetness with sugar syrup (you want it to be on the sweeter side as it will taste less sweet when cold). You can now optionally add chili to your taste, or reserve it for garnish.
Add the mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer directions. I prefer a model that includes a compressor as you don't have to store a bowl in the freezer.
Remove the frozen labneh to a sealed container and place in the freezer for at least two hours, or until firm.
Serve dusted with the chili flakes.
Recipe Note
Recipe Notes
‡For a more hassle-free experience you can purchase coconut water and pulp pre-blended. This is a solid option.
* If starting from a whole pineapple, use the skin and core of the pineapple to make tepache instead of throwing them away!
Variations & Ideas
• No ice cream maker? Add the base to a blender and blend on high for a minute to introduce air. Pour into mold dusted with a thin layer of lime juice and/or honey and chilis and freeze overnight or until frozen through.
• If you'd like to use this as a base for a fancier dessert, try using it to top pavlova. Use our Orchidea N34 blend in the meringue itself, and top with the frozen labneh and a sauce made from fresh lime juice, Borneo N26, and sweetened condensed milk. Dust with the chili powders.
• For a vegan option substitute full-fat coconut yogurt and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for the labneh and process as usual. I like topping this variant with lemon zest and chilis. You can also prepare this variant as a granita, just freeze on a sheet tray, breaking the ice up every hour or so until you have a fluffy and icy texture.
Questions about this recipe? Contact us at info@laboiteny.com
