Raspberries and Yogurt

Yes but for the best texture it's better to prepare the yogurt and berries ahead of time and add the granola just before serving.

The main reason is that granola absorbs moisture from the yogurt and raspberries. Leave it sitting in the glass for several hours and those lovely crunchy pieces will gradually become soft. This is what we found works best after making this many mornings for an easy breakfast.

For the easiest make ahead option, prepare the pink and white yogurt layers, cover and refrigerate them then keep the granola and chocolate chips in a separate container. Add the crunchy ingredients when you are ready to eat.

If you don't mind softer granola then the complete parfait can be made a few hours ahead. It will still taste delicious just with less crunch.

Sure. Frozen raspberries work particularly well for the pink raspberry yogurt layer where they can be thawed and mashed before being mixed with the Greek yogurt.

In fact readers have reported enjoying thawed frozen raspberries mixed directly into Greek yogurt, including using the juice from the berries as a kind of natural raspberry syrup.

For the fresh raspberries on top fresh is preferable because they look prettier and hold their shape better. If you only have frozen berries thaw them completely and drain off excess liquid before using them as a topping.

Don't put frozen raspberries straight into the parfait. As they thaw they release water which can make the Greek yogurt runny and soften the granola making it soggy.

The best way is to keep the granola away from excess moisture until you are ready to eat.

For this particular breakfast parfait use chunky crunchy granola rather than a fine cereal style ones. Add it immediately before serving, especially the granola on top.

There is also a small trick that makes a noticeable difference in this recipe. Instead of mixing the whole berries directly through the granola, scatter the raspberries over the granola. This gives you the right combination you want without coating every piece of granola in fruit juice.

If you are making the parfait ahead, keep the granola separate and add it at the last moment. That is the most reliable way we found to get genuinely crunchy granola every time.

Start with thick Greek yogurt and make sure your raspberries are dry before assembling the parfait.

The biggest source of extra liquid is usually the fruit. Fresh berries naturally contain plenty of moisture while thawed frozen ones release even more. Gently pat fresh berries dry after washing them and drain your thawed fruit well before using them. Recipes for parfaits regularly recommend drying the fruit before layering.

For the pink layer mash the raspberries rather than blending them into a thin sauce. You want enough raspberry juice to colour and flavour the yogurt but not so much that you turn it into a liquid mixture.

It also helps to avoid adding lemon juice directly to the yogurt. A little lemon zest gives you the bright flavour without introducing unnecessary liquid.

A thick plain Greek yogurt is the best choice for this recipe.

Full fat Greek yogurt gives the creamiest richest result and works particularly well because raspberries are naturally tart. A lower fat Greek yogurt will still work perfectly well if you prefer it but very low fat yogurt can taste less creamy.

Plain yogurt is also better than starting with a heavily sweetened flavoured yogurt because you can control the sweetness yourself. A little honey and vanilla are enough to soften the natural tang without overpowering the raspberries.

If your yogurt is particularly thick that is actually an advantage here. It will hold the layers neatly and give you the creamy contrast against the crunchy granola.

The easiest way is to add a small amount of honey and vanilla then let the raspberries and chocolate provide the rest of the sweetness.

Start with the amount in the recipe and taste the yogurt before adding more. Greek yogurt has a naturally tangy flavour so it can be tempting to keep adding honey until the tang disappears. That usually makes the finished parfait much sweeter than it needs to be.

Honey is one of the most commonly suggested ways users make plain Greek yogurt more enjoyable while vanilla is another popular addition that we love using.

For this version I would keep the yogurt only lightly sweetened. The combination of sweet crunchy granola, chocolate chips and ripe raspberries creates plenty of sweetness once everything is eaten together.

A tiny pinch of salt also helps. You won't taste the salt itself but it can make the sweetness and vanilla taste more pronounced.

Fresh raspberries bring a bright sharp fruit flavour that cuts through the richness of Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt provides the creamy slightly tangy base while granola adds sweetness and crunch. Chocolate then gives the combination a richer dessert like finish.

There is plenty of real world support for this combo. Users have described this combination as a satisfying way to deal with a sweet craving and variations are being used as regular breakfast or snack combinations.

That contrast is also why the layers in this breakfast matter. The pale pink raspberry yogurt gives you the strongest fruit flavour first, the crunchy middle adds texture and chocolate and the plain vanilla yogurt gives you a creamy break before the fresh raspberry and crunchy topping.

The result is simple enough for breakfast but indulgent enough to work as an easy dessert.