Shop-bought flavoured yoghurt is convenient, but it often contains more sugar than you would add yourself and the flavour tends to be flat and one-dimensional. Making your own takes less than five minutes and the result is noticeably better.
Start With the Right Base
Use plain, full-fat yoghurt. Low-fat yoghurt has less body and turns watery once you stir things through it. Greek yoghurt is ideal because it is thick enough to hold mix-ins without separating. If you only have regular yoghurt, strain it through a cheesecloth over a bowl in the fridge for an hour first.
Vanilla and Honey
The simplest and most versatile flavour. Stir one teaspoon of raw honey and half a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract into one cup of Greek yoghurt. Use this as a base for parfaits, spread it on toast, or eat it straight. Vanilla bean paste works even better than extract – the flavour is deeper and the flecks look good.
Fresh Fruit Swirl
Mash ripe berries or stone fruit with a fork until jammy. For every cup of yoghurt, use about three tablespoons of mashed fruit. Swirl rather than fully stir – you want ribbons of fruit through the yoghurt rather than an even colour. Taste and add honey if the fruit is tart. Strawberry, mango, and passionfruit all work brilliantly.
Lemon Curd Yoghurt
Swirl two tablespoons of good-quality lemon curd through a cup of yoghurt. Excellent alongside almond-based cakes or spooned over fresh berries. The sharpness of the curd cuts through the richness in a way that tastes deliberately crafted.
Chocolate Yoghurt
Mix one tablespoon of good-quality cocoa powder and one to two teaspoons of honey into Greek yoghurt. Stir thoroughly – cocoa clumps easily. For a richer version, melt a square of dark chocolate and fold it through while still slightly warm. This sets up nicely after an hour in the fridge and works as both breakfast and dessert.
Cinnamon and Maple
Stir half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and one tablespoon of pure maple syrup into one cup of yoghurt. This combination works best in cooler months, especially paired with stewed apple or pear. Add a pinch of nutmeg if you have it.
How Long It Keeps
Flavoured yoghurt made with fresh fruit is best eaten within two days – the fruit continues to break down and can make the yoghurt watery. Flavoured with honey, vanilla, or dry spices, it keeps for as long as the original yoghurt. Always store covered in the fridge.
