Yoghurt Making Lesson

Homemade Yogurt

Yield: 2ltr milk will yield about 1.65ltr yoghurt;

Despite the length of the instructions that follow, making yoghurt isn't hard. People have been doing it for thousands of years. I've included an equipment list to make the process foolproof for newcomers. Keep in mind that this is a simple, four-step process:

·1. Heat the milk to 82°C.

·2. Cool the milk to 46°.C

·3. Inoculate with the yoghurt starter.

·4. Incubate for several hours, until thick.

Suggested equipment

·Heavy stainless-steel pot or enamelled cast-iron Dutch oven with a lid

·Measuring jug and spoons

·Clip-on candy thermometer or inferred thermometers

·Mixing bowl

·A ladle and whisk

·Silicone spatula

·Towel

·Yoghurt pot to store the finished yoghurt or wide-mouth funnel and a few jars)

·Please note: Equipment pulled fresh from a hot dishwasher is the most sanitary, though you can decide for yourself whether this extra insurance is vital to you.

Use 2ltr of milk and 2 tablespoons yoghurt starter.

Ingredients

2ltr milk, preferably whole and organic (not ultrapasteurized)
2 tablespoons plain store-bought yoghurt with live, active cultures, at room temperature
Heat the milk to 82oC. place ice cubes along the entire inside of the pot or Dutch oven. (The ice helps prevent the milk from adhering to the pot, Pour in the milk. Affix the thermometer to the side of the pot, test the temperatures with an inferred thermometer) and turn the heat to medium-high. Slowly bring the milk up to 82oC, without stirring. When you reach 82oC, turn the heat way down and maintain the milk at 82oC for 5 full minutes. This creates naturally thicker yoghurt without the need for milk powders or thickeners. Remove the pot from the heat. Use the ladle to lift off any skin that formed.
Cool the milk to 62oC. Allow the milk to cool down to 62oC, stirring gently to release steam. To accelerate cooling, fill the sink partway with lots of ice and some cold water, then set your pot carefully in the sink. Stir occasionally and check the thermometer frequently. If the milk dips more than a few degrees below 62oC, you'll have to rewarm it.
Inoculate with the starter culture. When your milk has reached 62oC, place the plain yoghurt the starter in the mixing bowl or measuring jug, using 2 tablespoons yoghurt for 2ltr milk 1ltr of the warm milk whisk to combine. This is called tempering. Scrape the tempered yoghurt back into the pot. Remove the thermometer and cover the pot.
Incubate for several hours, until thick. The inoculated milk must be kept warm (ideally between 38oC and 62oC) throughout incubation, though slightly cooler temperatures should work. You have several options for where to incubate:

Use your oven. Keep the oven's heat off but flip on the oven light. Place the covered pot in the oven and drape the top with a kitchen towel. If your climate is especially cold, wrap the pot in a thicker towel. I always stick a post-it note on my oven door, so I know there's yoghurt in there and don't accidentally turn the oven on. Resist the temptation to open the oven during incubation. Depending on your climate and the oven's insulation, the modest heat generated by the light is, in most cases, sufficient to incubate your yoghurt in 6 to 12 hours, but it may take a bit longer. The longer you incubate the yoghurt, the tarter it will be.

Find a warm spot in your home. If you've got a warm place in the kitchen or elsewhere in your home—near (but not directly on top of) a heating vent, or by a sunny and draft-free window—you can wrap your lidded pot with a thick towel and incubate it there. Depending on the warmth of your spot and the ambient temperature of your home, your yoghurt should be ready in 6 to 12 hours, but it may take a bit longer.

Your yoghurt is ready when it's thick and looks like yoghurt. It's that simple. It should be set and wobble only slightly when you jiggle the pot. When you slip a clean spoon into the yoghurt and push some gently aside, some watery whey will fill in the wake. This is perfectly normal, as is a layer of cloudy whey that may (in some cases) float on top. Don't taste your yoghurt yet. Yoghurt will thicken further and, in my opinion, develop optimal flavour only after chilling.

Best practice

Remove 4tbspn of the yoghurt to use as the starter for your next batch. Refrigerate this starter, covered and dated, up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months—Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

If the top layer of whey bothers you, ladle it into a jar which you can use for some other dishes

Transfer the remaining yoghurt to a large container, or ladle into quart-size glass jars with a wide-mouth funnel aid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight, before eating or using in recipes. Most homemade yoghurt will be a bit lumpy. To smooth it out, whisk gently before eating—store, covered, in the refrigerator. Consume within 7 to 10 days.

Variation

You may make goat yoghurt following the same recipe, using pasteurized goat's milk and commercial goat yoghurt as your starter in the same proportions given here for cow's milk 1 tablespoon starter per 4tbspn of milk. Remember that goat yoghurt will never be as thick as cow's milk yoghurt even after full fermentation. It generally remains pourable, with a dense texture and without the distinct curds you'll find in homemade cow's milk yoghurt

More
Yoghurt Making Information

HOMEMADE GREEK YOGURT

Straining yoghurt releases its whey, leaving behind thick, creamy, Greek-style yoghurt with a tangy, milky flavour. The longer the yoghurt strains, the thicker and drier it will be, so experiment with different straining times until you achieve your favourite consistency. I like to start with a full recipe (3.3ltr) of Homemade Yogurt and chill it thoroughly. I then strain about half of it for a few hours and leave the other half as is. This means I always have both traditional and Greek yoghurt on hand for eating and using in recipes.
When yoghurt is strained to make Greek yoghurt, much of the lactose ends up in the whey. Keep this in mind if you're lactose intolerant.
Remember, whey has many of the same properties as yoghurt, so you may experiment with it in any recipe that calls for yoghurt. Because it's so much thinner, though, and lacks the same viscosity, use a bit less and expect the final texture to be a bit different.
suggested equipment
·Mixing bowl
·Cheesecloth Bags
·Colander
Method
Cold plain (not Greek) yoghurt homemade or store-bought, as much as you'd like to strain
Line the strainer or colander with 2 or 3 layers of damp cheesecloth, allowing a few inches to hang over the sides. (Alternatively, use the cheesecloth bag or a few layers of overlapping paper towels.) Set the strainer over the bowl. Spoon in as much yoghurt as you'd like to strain. Fold any overhang over the yoghurt to cover or pull the cheesecloth bag drawstring tight. Refrigerate.

The first time you strain yoghurt, I recommend checking it every few hours to gauge its consistency, stopping the straining process when you have a thickness, texture, and mouthfeel you like. This can take anywhere from 3 to 15 hours. Transfer the yoghurt and whey to separate, clean lidded jars, and refrigerate best labelled with the date to monitor when it was made. Greek yoghurt will remain fresh for 7 to 10 days, but it does begin to lose its optimal texture and continue to release whey over time.

HOMEMADE CRÈME FRAÎCHE

INGREDIENTS
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk
• 475ml double cream
This is a home version that comes close to the real French thing. Start with organic cream, if possible, to avoid additives. Do not use ultrapasteurized cream.
• Combine the buttermilk and cream in a medium saucepan and heat only to tepid (not more than 85°F). Check the temperature with a thermometer. Pour mixture into a clean pint jar. Cover partially and let stand at room temperature (between 18- 23oC) for 8 to 24 hours or until thickened.
• Stir and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using. The cream will continue to thicken and develop flavour in the refrigerator. It will keep about 2 weeks.

WHEY

When straining yoghurt, don't throw out the whey! It will stay fresh for a good 2 weeks or so in the refrigerator, and you can use it to add a boost of flavour and nutrition to a variety of dishes:

Use it in place of traditional yoghurt (not Greek) in baked goods such as bread, flatbreads, pancakes, waffles, and biscuits
Add it to smoothies, lassis, and yoghurt sodas
Use it as a poaching liquor for fish, vegetables, poultry or meat.
Remember that whey is acidic like yoghurt, so you can use it in baking recipes to activate baking soda and marinades to help tenderize meats.

BUTTERMILK

INGREDIENTS
• 235ml whole milk
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar or
1 tablespoon white vinegar or
1 tablespoon lemon juice
This method will give you creamy, thick buttermilk because it begins with whole milk.
Note: To use low-fat milk, mix 1 cup with 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons white vinegar in a 475ml let stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
Mix the milk and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. The milk should start to curdle. Stir well before using.
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

LABNEH

Here are two methods for turning yoghurt into the thick, creamy, spreadable Mediterranean and Middle Eastern "yoghurt cheese" called labneh. If you think of Greek-style yoghurt as strained yoghurt, think of labneh as ultra trained yoghurt. Labneh is strained either underweight or by hanging. Labneh is traditionally strained at room temperature; I'm more comfortable straining it refrigerated.

·950ml plain whole-milk or low-fat yoghurt
·¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Set a colander in a large, deep bowl. Line it generously with cheesecloth. Mix the yoghurt with the salt and scrape it into the colander. Cover gently with the overhang To compress, set a pot lid slightly smaller than the colander's diameter on top of the cloth-covered yoghurt. Cast iron is ideal because it's naturally heavy, but you can use a stainless-steel lid with a few cans on top. Cover the top of this apparatus with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for 36 to 48 hours, until 300ml-350ml whey has drained away and you're left with thick, spreadable yoghurt cheese. When your labneh is ready, transfer it to a covered container and refrigerate until needed. Labneh will keep for 10 days to 2 weeks.

If your labneh is lumpy, whisk in a touch of cold water to smooth it out.

KEFIR

Kefir is a fermented milk drink
originated in Russia's Caucasus Mountains, where it's still a daily food staple. It's tangier than yoghurt but sweeter than buttermilk. You can buy packaged kefir culture, but true enthusiasts use kefir grains — little white kernels about tapioca's size that swell and initiate fermentation. Good kefir contains many different types of friendly bacteria and some yeasts, and it packs one of the most potent health punches of all the cultured dairy foods.
Natural carbonation makes kefir fizzy and perfect for smoothies, popular among kefir fans. Simply pour the liquid into a blender and mix with fresh fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, and cut-up fresh mango.
INGREDIENTS
• 4tbspn kefir grains
• 475ml milk
Place the kefir grains in a clean pint glass jar and add the milk. Stir gently, then cover loosely and allow the mixture to sit for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature.
• When the kefir culture is ready, the mixture will have thickened, and some whey may have separated, and the grains will float to the surface. Gently stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. Strain the kefir through a fine sieve, stirring the grains gently (do not press them). Cover and refrigerate the kefir up to 3 weeks.
• Do not rinse the grains. You can save them for your next batch in one of two ways: You can let them air-dry on a piece of muslin for a day or two, then store them for 8 to 10 months in a plastic bag set in a cool, dry place. Allow a few extra days to get them started when you're ready to reactivate the grains.
• Another method is to place the grains in a clean jar, cover them with milk, and store them in the refrigerator. The fermentation will slow, allowing you to keep them for a few weeks. Strain the grains before using them in your next batch of kefir liquid.

Yoghurt Making Lesson

Homemade Yogurt

Yield: 2ltr milk will yield about 1.65ltr yoghurt;

·1. Heat the milk to 82°C.

·2. Cool the milk to 46°.C

·3. Inoculate with the yoghurt starter.

·4. Incubate for several hours, until thick.

Suggested equipment

·Heavy stainless-steel pot or enamelled cast-iron Dutch oven with a lid

·Measuring jug and spoons

·Clip-on candy thermometer or inferred thermometers

·Mixing bowl

·A ladle and whisk

·Silicone spatula

·Towel

·Yoghurt pot to store the finished yoghurt or wide-mouth funnel and a few jars)

·Please note: Equipment pulled fresh from a hot dishwasher is the most sanitary, though you can decide for yourself whether this extra insurance is vital to you.

Ingredients

2ltr milk, preferably whole and organic (not ultrapasteurized)

2 tablespoons plain store-bought yoghurt with live, active cultures, at room temperature

Incubate for several hours, until thick. The inoculated milk must be kept warm (ideally between 38oC and 62oC) throughout incubation, though slightly cooler temperatures should work. You have several options for where to incubate:

Best practice

Variation

More
Yoghurt Making Information

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Yoghurt Making Lesson

Homemade Yogurt

​

Yield: 2ltr milk will yield about 1.65ltr yoghurt;

​

·1. Heat the milk to 82°C.

·2. Cool the milk to 46°.C

·3. Inoculate with the yoghurt starter.

·4. Incubate for several hours, until thick.

​

Suggested equipment

​

·Heavy stainless-steel pot or enamelled cast-iron Dutch oven with a lid

·Measuring jug and spoons

·Clip-on candy thermometer or inferred thermometers

·Mixing bowl

·A ladle and whisk

·Silicone spatula

·Towel

·Yoghurt pot to store the finished yoghurt or wide-mouth funnel and a few jars)

·Please note: Equipment pulled fresh from a hot dishwasher is the most sanitary, though you can decide for yourself whether this extra insurance is vital to you.

​

Ingredients

2ltr milk, preferably whole and organic (not ultrapasteurized)

2 tablespoons plain store-bought yoghurt with live, active cultures, at room temperature

Incubate for several hours, until thick. The inoculated milk must be kept warm (ideally between 38oC and 62oC) throughout incubation, though slightly cooler temperatures should work. You have several options for where to incubate:

​

Best practice

Variation

More Yoghurt Making Information

More
Yoghurt Making Information