Who are these tips for?

If you want a batter without pieces of fruit

If you’re making a cake or muffins and don’t want pieces in the batter, look for the words ‘smooth fruit’ and check the ingredients list.

If you want to notice the fruit’s texture

If you don’t mind pieces, distinguish between yoghurt that contains fruit pieces and a fruit-on-the-bottom yoghurt, where the fruit layer sits at the bottom of the pot.

If you’re choosing with the ingredients in mind

If your recipe already contains sugar or you need to take allergens into account, read the ingredients and nutritional information for the product you choose. Also check its use-by date and storage instructions.

What should you check for your recipe?

First, decide how you want the fruit to be incorporated into the mixture. Then compare the ingredients of products with the right texture.

What to look for Check Who is it for?
Smooth texture Look for the words ‘smooth fruit’ and check whether the ingredients include thickeners. If I don’t want pieces or a separate layer of fruit in my batter, the type of yoghurt comes before any other criteria. Around 42% of consumers would put this consistency first.
Ingredients Compare the sugars per 100 g, ingredients and allergens in each product. If the recipe already includes sugar or I need to take an allergen into account, I want to know exactly what’s in the pot I’m using. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this.
Visible fruit Distinguish between pieces mixed into the yoghurt and fruit at the bottom of the pot. If I want the fruit’s texture to come through, I need to know how the fruit is presented before adding it to the mixture. Around 25% of consumers would make this their main criterion.

Mistakes to avoid before baking

  • Confusing smooth fruit, pieces and fruit-on-the-bottom yoghurt

    These terms describe different ways of presenting the fruit. Yoplait describes Panier l’Original as containing pieces, while its Panier Nature sur Fruits product has a layer of fruit at the bottom of the pot.

    Read the full product name. If you choose a fruit-on-the-bottom product for an even mixture, stir the layers together before measuring it.

  • Forgetting about the sugar already in the product

    Ingredients vary from product to product. Carrefour’s product information, for example, lists 6.7% sugar in Danone Velouté fraise and 8.5% cane sugar in Carrefour Bio fruit yoghurt. These ingredient figures are not a substitute for comparing ‘sugars per 100 g’ in the nutrition table.

    Choose your product before deciding whether to adjust the amount of sugar in your recipe.

  • Assuming every dairy dessert is a yoghurt

    When discussing use-by dates, Anses distinguishes products labelled ‘yoghurt’ or ‘yogurt’ from other fresh dairy products. This distinction means you shouldn’t treat all dairy specialities in the same way.

    Check the product name, date and condition. Discard any product with swollen packaging or an unusual smell or colour.

  • Overlooking storage instructions before use

    Keep a refrigerated product stored as directed on its label until you add it to your recipe.

    Anses recommends maintaining the cold chain, returning perishable foods to the fridge promptly after use and eating them within three days of opening.

Brands and products to compare

Danone

Carrefour describes Danone Velouté fraise on its product page as a smooth fruit yoghurt, making it worth considering if you don’t want pieces.

  • The product information lists 86.5% yoghurt and 5% strawberry for this product.
  • It also lists 6.7% sugar and modified starch. These ingredients don’t determine how it will turn out in a recipe, and they may not reflect the ingredients in other Danone products.

Yoplait

The Panier range includes different formats to suit the texture you’re looking for: Panier l’Original with pieces, and Panier Nature sur Fruits with a layer of fruit at the bottom of the pot.

  • Yoplait’s product descriptions help you choose between fruit pieces mixed into the yoghurt and fruit underneath the dairy layer.
  • If a recipe calls for an even mixture, you can’t measure a fruit-on-the-bottom yoghurt in the same way as one that’s already mixed.

Carrefour Bio

Carrefour’s product information describes Carrefour Bio fruit yoghurt as a selection containing fruit and whole milk.

  • It specifies 10% fruit and 8.5% cane sugar for the product shown.
  • It also lists pectins and maize starch. Check the variety and its ingredients rather than assuming what it contains from the Carrefour Bio name alone.

La Laitière

The La Laitière fruit selection featured by Carrefour comes in 125 g glass pots.

  • The product information describes a firm texture, which differs from stirred yoghurt and is worth considering when choosing a product for a recipe.
  • This description of the texture doesn’t tell you how the product will behave when baked.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Should you check the allergens in fruit yoghurt before baking?

Yes. Check the allergens on the label of the product you’re using, especially if anyone who’ll be eating the baked goods has an allergy. Manger Bouger explains that you can check the ingredients list to find out what a product contains. Carrefour’s product information for Danone Velouté fraise and Carrefour Bio fruit yoghurt both lists milk.

How should you account for the sugar in fruit yoghurt in a recipe?

Compare the ‘sugars per 100 g’ in the nutritional information for the products you’re considering before adjusting your recipe. Manger Bouger recommends using the nutrition table to compare products. The proportion of sugar listed in the ingredients and the ‘sugars’ value in the nutrition table are not the same thing.

Are use-by dates treated the same way for yoghurt and other dairy specialities?

No. Anses notes an exception after the use-by date for products labelled ‘yoghurt’ or ‘yogurt’, provided they show no signs of deterioration. This does not automatically apply to other fresh dairy products. Check the product name and date before use, and discard any product with swollen packaging or an unusual smell or colour.

How should you store yoghurt before adding it to a cake or other baked goods?

Keep it in the fridge as directed on the label and limit the time it spends out of the fridge. Anses recommends returning perishable foods to the fridge promptly after use and eating them within three days of opening.