I have just bought a yoghurt maker. When we lived in France I was able to buy my favourite natural yoghurt from the supermarket – a cheap own brand that was unsweetened, unflavoured and not too rich. I haven’t been able to find anything similar in the UK so I’ve decided to make my own.
For the first batch I used half a pot of natural, live yoghurt as a starter. I mixed it with a litre of full fat milk (boiled and then cooled) and poured it into eight small jars that were then placed in the yoghurt maker. I left it to incubate for eight hours and it has turned out amazingly well, just as I like it. Natural, unsweetened yoghurt with a bit of a tang. I can use this as a starter in my next batch although the taste may differ the next time. I’m not sure how long you can keep a culture going for.
I also bought some sachets of powdered culture that should produce the Rolls Royce of yoghurt – Bulgarian or Balkan yoghurt. The packets are a bit disconcerting – “Contains live active bacteria like ''Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus'' and ''Streptococcus thermophilus''
Anyone else make their own yoghurt?
I used to years ago but just used a vacuum flask. it was always fine and now and then I would buy new yoghurt as a starter.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious as to how it will turn out using the Balkan powder.
DeleteI used to, about 30 years ago. It was kind of a fad at the time. Never liked what I made very much and that was probably because I didn't use full fat milk and couldn't be bothered to make changes!
ReplyDeleteI think the culture can just keep going.
I just can't seem to find the type I like in the shops so making my own seems like a good solution.
DeleteI have never made yoghurt. We are not into fancy foreign food in Yorkshire.
ReplyDeleteJust stick with your Wensleydale cheese then.
DeleteWhat's wrong with the airing cupboard?
ReplyDeleteCan't mix yoghurt with Paul's pants.
DeleteI used to make my own with my little Salton yogurt maker!! I like the plain unflavored type as well!! I always used the last cup of yogurt in every batch as the 'starter' in every new one until I stopped making it. It's nice to try new strains once in a while though. I no longer make mine since a buddy went to work in the local Organic dairy/factory. I get mine straight from the dairy in a two litre tub. I love the flavor too. I got spoiled with all the FREE full fat milk, yogurt & sour creme.
ReplyDeleteI remember those Salton yoghurt makers. We had a yellow one with a glass lid.
DeleteThat's what mine was too!
DeleteNo but rather like the sound of the idea as most yoghourt in the shops is toosweet for me.
ReplyDeleteI can't bear the sweetened version.
DeleteI used to when the kids were young... but I put fruit on the bottom for them. They still talk about it.
ReplyDeleteThey must have loved it!
DeleteI've recently fallen out of the habit but was thinking to start again this week now that porridge for breakfast will soon be replaced with the summertime fare of yoghurt. I use a thermos to make mine but have also done the pyrex casserole overnight-in-the-oven-trick successfully. I haven't tried a starter culture as I just use a bit of a ready-made plain yoghurt and start form there. As mine is an inexact science and I'm not terribly consistent with my technique, I find it won't go on in perpetuity - maybe 5 or 6 rounds before you need to start with some ready-made again.
ReplyDeleteMine is definitely an inexact science!
DeleteMy daughter makes hers in her Instapot. I would like to try as I eat quite a lot of yoghurt.
ReplyDeleteI like the small, individual glass pots that came with the maker.
DeleteI buy mine from Leclerc; plain natural Greek Yog' that is delicious. I eat a pot every day. My wife used to make her own, but hasn't done so for years.
ReplyDeleteI used to love the Leclerc budget, plain yoghurt. Just can't seem to find a similar brand over here.
DeleteI used a Lakeland electric one pot maker (with skimmed milk ex cuboard) and strained it when ready in a metal coffee filter to get rid of the yellowish liquid and pot up the thick greek style stuff. Lovely. Then I found that Lidl did a good one. It is not the same now that back in UK Lidl's is still OK but I feel I may revert to DIY again. It feels righteous with home made.
ReplyDeleteI probably wouldn't bother to make it if I could buy the equivalent. Although it does feel good when something turns out okay that you've made from scratch.
DeleteNo, I don't make my own, or take any milk products whatsoever, as I'm lactose intolerant. I have tried yoghurt, but not keen at all. A bottle of milk frequently gets thrown away unopened here, and I rarely buy it unless I have visitors.
ReplyDeleteHard to eat yoghurt if you're lactose intolerant.
DeleteHi Coppa's girl, if you've come back to read this ... Lactose intolerance is a bit of a big thing here in Oz as a large chunk of us with Mediterranean heritage are intolerant. It's a lacking in the enzyme lactase that's the cause (my hubby has it) and to tolerate milk products you need to have some lactase in your gut. Here we have little tablets you buy at the chemist but there's now a huge range of milk products with it already added so you are good to go. I sometimes drink it when I've run out of my plain milk. Tastes a bit sweeter than normal milk. I've made yoghurt sometimes with it too but that news is only interesting if you actually like yoghurt!
DeleteHave you ever made the 'cheese' from home made yogurt?? I used to dump it all into a cheesecloth bag I made with a drawstring, pull the string tight & hang it on the kitchen spout to drip over night. All the moisture would drip out & leave a nice tangy spreadable 'cheese' for my toast. Wonderful with red onion & tomato slices.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I didn't know you could do that! I shall have to try.
DeleteI used to make yogurt, in a slow cooker, leave it in the airing cupboard overnight. Turned out well. I now buy plain Greek style from Tesco or Aldi.
ReplyDeleteNot enough room in my airing cupboard!
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