Pink Guava Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie with Whipped Cream

Pink guava and fresh strawberries turn into a smoothie with a color you cannot miss. Grated guava gives a fragrant, floral note, while sweet cream yogurt makes the drink thick and velvety. Ten minutes at the counter is all you need to pour two glasses worth showing off.

This pink guava strawberry yogurt smoothie is built on a simple idea: let the fruit do the work. Halved pink guava is sliced, then grated on a box grater so that fine pink shavings fall onto the board. Those shavings blend into the drink and add a perfume that sliced fruit alone cannot give.

Fresh strawberries bring sweetness and body, and sweet cream yogurt turns everything into a thick, creamy glass. The method is short, the equipment is basic, and the result is a smooth, deeply pink drink that looks as good as it tastes. Serve it chilled in a clear glass so the layers show.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

Grating the guava instead of chopping it is the key step. A box grater breaks the flesh into very fine pieces that dissolve into the blender jar, so the smoothie stays silky without any visible fibers or chunks.

Chopped guava would leave small pieces floating in the drink and would lose some of its aromatic juice on the cutting board.

Blending the fruit with yogurt, rather than with ice or water, gives the smoothie its body. The yogurt's fat and protein thicken the mixture and carry the strawberry and guava flavor evenly.

Blending on high until the color turns a vibrant pink signals that the fruit is fully broken down and the texture is smooth and creamy.

Notes and substitutions

Choose a pink guava that gives slightly under gentle pressure and smells sweet. Under-ripe guava is firm and less aromatic, and it will not grate into the fine shavings that give the smoothie its color. Strawberries should be fully red, with no white shoulders, for the brightest pink.

A chef's knife, a wooden cutting board, a box grater and a blender are all you need. The grater is essential for the guava; a fine grater works too, but the large holes on a box grater produce the shavings you use as garnish.

Use a clear glass so the layers of yogurt, strawberry and pink blended drink stay visible. Whipped cream from a canister is quick and holds its shape well on top of the cold smoothie.

• sweet cream yogurt: plain whole-milk yogurt with 1 tsp honey or sugar stirred in
• pink guava: ripe pink guava nectar, about 1/2 cup, with extra grated guava left out
• whipped cream from a canister: homemade whipped cream from 1/2 cup cold heavy cream and 1 tbsp sugar

Equipment

• Wooden cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Box grater
• Blender
• Clear glass