Frozen Yogurt Bark with Berries and Peach Basil Mozzarella Flatbread

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Berries, and cherries, and peaches, oh my! It’s beautiful, bountiful berry season and the picking’s mighty fine. Grocery stores, farmer’s markets, fruit stands – and maybe even your own back yard – are all filled to the brim with the season’s best. While fruit is at its peak right now, make everything with it that you can. It won’t be summer forever. The time is ripe now. 

My counter is currently lined with berry bowls. A lot of them. I have my serious business strainer out: the one that covers almost one entire side of the sink. We pick, we rinse, we dry and we freeze. This will continue until the berries, or we, give up. Right now, the berries seem to be winning. I add them to pancakes, yogurt, and smoothies. I made pie and will make muffins. I pitch ricotta toast with a drizzle of honey for breakfast. It’s not over till it’s over. 

I stopped at Bi-Zi Farms last week and bought a pint of blackberries. They were juicy and plump, and so very soft. They were perfect eaten out of hand, but they were even better sitting atop some jam, filling a peanut butter sandwich. They were full of flavor and literally burst in every bite. 

Use berries for this simple and easy to make Frozen Yogurt Bark with Berries. Topped with fresh berries and crunchy granola, it’s a perfect hot weather snack, and it’s so lovely to look at, it would also make a splendid summer dessert. I used strawberries and blueberries here, but feel free to swap in any fresh berries or fruit that you like. 

The recipe calls for full fat yogurt. You could probably get away with using 2%, but non-fat tends to get icy and won’t yield good results. You could swap in a plant-based yogurt, or use nuts, chocolate chips, or chunks of dark chocolate. You could also use plain, unsweetened yogurt as is, or flavor and sweeten it yourself with vanilla and a little honey.   

If you happen to have some kids on hand, this would be a fun recipe to make together. Let them help spread the yogurt in the pan, slice the strawberries with a butter knife if you feel they are able to, and top the yogurt with the fruit and granola. Do this early in the day and you can both enjoy a healthy snack later. 

Next, use your peak of perfection peaches for Peach Basil Mozzarella Flatbread. This delectable combination is also a winning topping for pizza, but using flatbread is easier and much quicker.  Top your store-bought flatbread with creamy ricotta, fresh mozzarella, basil ribbons and stunningly fresh peaches. It’s savory, it’s sweet, it’s a perfect summer pizza and it’s ready in just a few minutes. 

Before you make your pizzas, take time to peel your peaches. Using a ripe, but still firm peach, cut a shallow, 2-inch “X” on the bottom of your peach with a paring knife. Fully submerge the peach in a pot of hot, simmering water for about 10-20 seconds. You want to be able to lift the skin off the peach, but be careful not to cook it. Remove peaches and submerge in an ice bath made from equal parts ice and cold water. Let peaches sit for about 1 minute, then dry with a paper towel so you can have a firmer grip while peeling. Using your fingers, pull the skin away from the flesh, discarding skin. 

Fresh mozzarella usually benefits from a bit of drying time, but I didn’t find the mozzarella I used to be excessively moist. You can cut or tear your fresh mozzarella into thin pieces at least 15 minutes ahead of time and place the pieces over a clean towel, or in a colander, if you need to soak up excess moisture. Drizzling your finished pizzas with honey is optional, and I think hot honey would be really amazing on these. For a little extra pizzazz, squeeze lime juice over your peaches when you prep them, or grate a little lime zest over your pizzas at the end. This brightens and enhances the flavor of your peaches. Give it a try.

The season won’t last forever. Take a bite of something ripe, juicy and delicious and savor the Northwest summer. 

Frozen Yogurt Bark with Berries

• 2 cups whole milk vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/4 blueberries 
• 1/4 cup granola

Line a rimmed 9 1/2” x 13” quarter baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Pour yogurt onto baking sheet and spread evenly to fill entire sheet. Top with sliced strawberries, blueberries and granola. 

Place in freezer until yogurt is firm, about 3 hours. Cut into 12-15 pieces and serve immediately. Store leftovers in freezer, airtight, up to 3 months. 

-feelgoodfoodie.net

Peach Basil Mozzarella Flatbread

• 1  7.05 ounce 4 pack flatbreads (such as Stoneware Naan bread)
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6-8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or torn
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 2-3 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1 Tablespoon honey (optional)
• fresh basil leaves, torn or cut into ribbons
• balsamic glaze (optional)

Preheat oven to 450º F. Line a 9 1/2” x 13” quarter baking sheet with parchment paper. Place flatbread on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over flatbread, then top with fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Layer peaches over flatbread. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling. Drizzle honey over flatbread pizza, if using. Sprinkle with fresh basil. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired. 

-adapted from recipe on modernhoney.com