Wording on a Recipes

[Foodie4life]

I am making a Honey and Lime Fruit Salad dressing for a breakfast I am catering in the morning. The Recipes reads, cover fruit and dressing separately and chill until ready to serve, up to six hours.

So I take it this means I have to make it tomorrow morning instead of tonight. Why though? It's a yogurt base. What might happen if I make it today?

[Suzanne]

If the recipe includes both the fruit salad and the dressing, I'd expect that the fruit not be prepped until shortly before serving (the 6 hours is okay). The dressing, though, can probably be done the day before. Just be sure to give it a good stir before using, since it might settle and separate a bit, with whey coming to the top of the yogurt.

[greyeaglem]

They just don't want you to mix the two together ahead of time. Why 6 hours? I don't know. Sometimes recipes have directions just to have directions. I doubt it will hurt to make the dressing ahead. Use your judgement.

[Foodie4life]

Will the lime juice do something to the yogurt?

[RSteve]

Originally Posted by Foodie4life

Will the lime juice do something to the yogurt?

I trust this is not asked tongue-in-cheek.

The ascorbic acid in lime juice will cause the yogurt to curdle. Curdling occurs when the proteins in the yogurt contract in response to the ascorbic acid.

[Luc_H]

RSteve,
I think you meant citric acid (not ascorbic acid). There is very little ascorbic acid which is vitamin C compared to citric acid in lime juice (and lemon juice).

Yoghurt is already quite acidic and will not curdle like when lime juice is added to milk for example. What it may do is make the additionally acidic yoghurt lose its whey more easily i.e it may separate overnight. A quick whipping before serving should take care of that.

Luc H.

Originally Posted by RSteve

I trust this is not asked tongue-in-cheek.

The ascorbic acid in lime juice will cause the yogurt to curdle. Curdling occurs when the proteins in the yogurt contract in response to the ascorbic acid.