Piimä Jason's Deli Copycat Recipe

My partner whittled that spoon, and I love it!

This will probably be the easiest recipe I ever post. It’s also soooooooooo worth making. Maybe even daily. I don’t know about y’all, but other than the baked potatoes, I find at the fruit dip at Jason’s Deli is basically the thing that makes it worth eating there. They do delivery, by the way, if you didn’t know. This is a really lovely dip, sweet and tangy at the same time. It’s also a very simple way to get fruit and yogurt into tiny humans who might not be feelin’ it that day. Just set your fruit board on a table and pretend it’s not there. Suddenly, you’ll find it isn’t anymore!

This recipe has two parts, because you have to make your piimä differently from how you normally would. What you’re looking for from the yogurt is thick and creamy. Think Greek yogurt, except creamier. Once you’ve made your JD-thick piimä, you’re two ingredients and a quick whisking away from glorious fruit trays!

Let’s make the yogurt!

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons of piimä from your last batch

Mix these together and proceed as usual, fermenting until set before refrigerating. This should be a supremely different piimä than you’re used to, because it will be SUPER thick. Ideally, it’s thick enough that you can turn it out onto a plate in a single plop. There should be some wobble, though.

NOTE: You can reculture your next batch from this in the usual fashion. It may take a couple of batches to return to its thinner state, though. If you want to speed it along, you can always try out using half of your normal starter culture. Report back so we know how it went!

Now we make the dip!

1 cup of cream-cultured piimä

1/2 to 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

Whisk together and put in your serving dish. Arrange on your fruit board with fruit, add a spoon to the dip, and GO!

NOTE: You can use as much or as little vanilla as you like. I tend to go heavy on this, both because I like vanilla and because I enjoy the hint of caramel color it gives the yogurt. The sweetness of this dip is up to you. I usually go a little lighter, but some people prefer a sweeter version.