You know this thick creamy tangy Greek yoghurt that we have been hearing about everywhere but is not yet available in Egypt’s supermarkets? Well, you can now prepare it at home with a very simple trick.

No cooking involved!

It is a “hands free” recipe with the fridge doing all the work.

Great News, ha?

I got this idea many years back from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Cooking Show but changed the draining period to have Greek Yoghurt instead of the cheese she was preparing.

All you have to do is put plain full fat yogurt over a sieve lined with paper towel or cheesecloth & place in the fridge for about 6 hours & up to overnight!

That’s it!

You will be surprised with the result. Creamy, thick yoghurt with an amazingly tangy flavor without all the extra water. Bear in mind, I already hate yoghurt so when I become addicted to this recipe .. trust me it is super delicious :)

You can prepare a big batch & have it ready in the fridge for a quick healthy & tasty breakfast or snack.

You can go as creative as you want with your yoghurt, add honey, unsweetened juice, nuts, granola, fruits ..etc. My favorite combination is this one; with dark chocolate & strawberry.

Thank you Lactel Egypt for giving me the inspiration for this parfait! A couple of years ago, Lactel launched an amazing yoghurt variant with strawberry & chocolate pieces; unfortunately they discontinued it a couple of months later. But who cares? I make my own now!

The below recipe is enough for 2 servings but you can make as much yoghurt as you want; just follow the same steps.

Ingredients:

• 4 packs plain full fat yoghurt
• 2 tbsp honey or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 5 strawberries sliced or as many as you want
• 1/4 cup oats
• 3 tbsp roughly chopped dark chocolate

Directions

To prepare the Greek Yoghurt

1. Line a sieve (large enough to hold the yoghurt from the 4 packs) with either 2 layers of cheesecloth or  3-4 layers of kitchen paper towel. Place the sieve over a bowl.
2. Pour all the yoghurt into the lined sieve & fold the hanging cheesecloth or paper towel over the yoghurt. Cover the whole sieve with plastic wrap or aluminum foil & place in the fridge to drain all the water.
3. After 6-8 hours, check the yoghurt, it will be totally transformed into a thick creamy mixture.
4. Discard the water & place the yoghurt in an airtight container in the fridge.

To Prepare the Strawberry & Dark Chocolate Parfait

1. Divide the drained yoghurt (now your Greek yoghurt) among 2 bowls. Add 1 tbsp (or more to taste) & 1/4 tsp vanilla (if using) to each bowl & stir to combine.
2. Top with oats, sliced strawberries & chopped dark chocolate.
3. Serve immediately.

Notes: 

1. Any plain full fat yoghurt brand can be used in this recipe.
2. You can go as creative as you want with the parfait recipes.
3. If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can use kitchen paper towel but use a brand that has strong thick paper towels.