Yogurt-making @ home

[Kouign Aman]

Yes, Lapin, it was delicious.

8 hours (overnight) is about right. 12+ isnt going to work for us.

Hence the search for a bit more warmth.

More fun to come.

[Lapin d'Argent]

Yes, Lapin, it was delicious.

8 hours (overnight) is about right. 12+ isnt going to work for us.

Hence the search for a bit more warmth.

More fun to come.

If find that if I start it when I'm making dinner, it's ready for breakfast in the morning. Or if I start it first thing in the morning, it's ready by dinner time, or when I go to bed at the latest. Since I don't have to do anything to it, it doesn't really matter how long it takes, as long as the start and end times are convenient.

However, I haven't tried doing a batch in small containers, only in one larger quart+ container, so that may make all the difference. I figure I can just spoon it out of the larger container into smaller ones as I need it, once it's cultured.

Is there a particular reason you want to make it in smaller jars, instead of a larger container?

[andiesenji]

I decided to bump this topic up and show the results of my latest batch made with the Y-4 culture from New England Cheesemaking

a half-gallon batch made with organic whole milk and incubated in the Yogotherm, non-electric, yogurt maker purchased from the same source as the cultures.

I have other yogurt makers, all the 1/2 gallon or 2-liter size and I use them interchangeably but this one doesn't have to be plugged is so it is handy for that reason and the insulated "shell" maintains the perfect temp for at least 12 hours.

This particular batch was incubated for 12 hours because I like it tangy.

It makes great yogurt cheese because it is firmer to start with than that produced by other cultures and produces less whey when strained.

[Kerry Beal]

I decided to bump this topic up and show the results of my latest batch made with the Y-4 culture from New England Cheesemaking

a half-gallon batch made with organic whole milk and incubated in the Yogotherm, non-electric, yogurt maker purchased from the same source as the cultures.

I have other yogurt makers, all the 1/2 gallon or 2-liter size and I use them interchangeably but this one doesn't have to be plugged is so it is handy for that reason and the insulated "shell" maintains the perfect temp for at least 12 hours.

This particular batch was incubated for 12 hours because I like it tangy.

It makes great yogurt cheese because it is firmer to start with than that produced by other cultures and produces less whey when strained.

That is some fine looking yogurt! Have you compared to the Y5?

[andiesenji]

I decided to bump this topic up and show the results of my latest batch made with the Y-4 culture from New England Cheesemaking

a half-gallon batch made with organic whole milk and incubated in the Yogotherm, non-electric, yogurt maker purchased from the same source as the cultures.

I have other yogurt makers, all the 1/2 gallon or 2-liter size and I use them interchangeably but this one doesn't have to be plugged is so it is handy for that reason and the insulated "shell" maintains the perfect temp for at least 12 hours.

This particular batch was incubated for 12 hours because I like it tangy.

It makes great yogurt cheese because it is firmer to start with than that produced by other cultures and produces less whey when strained.

That is some fine looking yogurt! Have you compared to the Y5?

Yes, I have both the Y5 and the Y1 "Bulgarian" cultures. I use all but for different purposes.

For my taste the Y5 is not quite as tangy as I like for "regular" yogurt but I like it for baking - as a substitute for sour cream. It also doesn't have quite the firmness of the Y4 or the Y1 so I don't like it for yogurt cheese - particularly when I want to make the cheese "balls" that are to be marinated in seasoned olive oil. (Mine actually turn out shaped more like a football than a round ball. )

[Kerry Beal]

I decided to bump this topic up and show the results of my latest batch made with the Y-4 culture from New England Cheesemaking

a half-gallon batch made with organic whole milk and incubated in the Yogotherm, non-electric, yogurt maker purchased from the same source as the cultures.

I have other yogurt makers, all the 1/2 gallon or 2-liter size and I use them interchangeably but this one doesn't have to be plugged is so it is handy for that reason and the insulated "shell" maintains the perfect temp for at least 12 hours.

This particular batch was incubated for 12 hours because I like it tangy.

It makes great yogurt cheese because it is firmer to start with than that produced by other cultures and produces less whey when strained.

That is some fine looking yogurt! Have you compared to the Y5?

Yes, I have both the Y5 and the Y1 "Bulgarian" cultures. I use all but for different purposes.

For my taste the Y5 is not quite as tangy as I like for "regular" yogurt but I like it for baking - as a substitute for sour cream. It also doesn't have quite the firmness of the Y4 or the Y1 so I don't like it for yogurt cheese - particularly when I want to make the cheese "balls" that are to be marinated in seasoned olive oil. (Mine actually turn out shaped more like a football than a round ball. )

Do you seed future batches of yogurt with previous batches - or do you always use the purchased culture?

[andiesenji]

Do you seed future batches of yogurt with previous batches - or do you always use the purchased culture?

I use the yogurt I have made as a starter for three additional batches - I save the whey and also use that mixed with the yogurt.

After the fourth batch I start with a new culture.

The Y5 does not do well as a starter so I use a new culture each time for that one.

The Bulgarian one can be used as a starter at least six times before it loses its oomph. I haven't tried more batches than that on a single culture and I try to start the new batch within a week of incubating the previous one.

[andiesenji]

I forgot to note that I use yogurt for many purposes, which is why I prepare so much.

I use it in place of buttermilk.

I mix it with regular milk (either whole or 2%) in a blender with fruit to make a kefir-like drink.

I use it as a substitute for sour cream (although I also make my own sour cream.)

A cup of yogurt, combined with two tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate (I buy organic) is great with cereal. I mix it with Grape-Nuts in the evening and consume it the next morning. That way I get sufficient fiber with my yogurt to make a healthy breakfast. (The Grape-Nuts soften a bit but still retain some crunch.)

Edited August 13, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[Kerry Beal]

I use a lot of yogurt in baking, sub it for butter milk and sour cream too - but one of my favourite things is swirling together plain full fat yogurt with lemon curd. They play off each other so well.

[eternal]

We are making yogurt every week now - for the last several months. In general it comes out very well. We use a liter of whole milk and about a 1/4 cup of skim milk powder. We "cook" it for 11 hours on an electric yogurt maker in 8 cups. The taste is perfect and the density is right. The only thing I would like to improve is the texture. It comes out a bit broken - like a broken emulsion. It isn't consistent throughout. Any ideas on how to improve that?

[andiesenji]

We are making yogurt every week now - for the last several months. In general it comes out very well. We use a liter of whole milk and about a 1/4 cup of skim milk powder. We "cook" it for 11 hours on an electric yogurt maker in 8 cups. The taste is perfect and the density is right. The only thing I would like to improve is the texture. It comes out a bit broken - like a broken emulsion. It isn't consistent throughout. Any ideas on how to improve that?

I don't use dry milk powder and you can see the texture in the photo I posted above. My results are always consistent using the purchased culture for the first batch and part of each batch for three subsequent batches. Then starting over with a new culture.

I tried it a few times with milk powder and did not like either the flavor or the texture. I drained it for yogurt cheese and got much less solids (twice the amount of whey as with my usual batch) which also did not have the texture that I insist on. It was sort of grainy.

The only other thing that could be interfering with your result is not getting the milk up to at least 180° F. before cooling it to 105 to 115 before adding the culture.

If not heated sufficiently the "curd" won't form.

Following is a quote from the California Milk Board:

"Yogurt is formed by the growth of two bacterial organisms in milk; Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus which turn the milk sugars into lactic acid. These are two separate bacteria that are active at different times during processing. Some times you will also find yogurt that contains other ""Probiotic"" cultures such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bifidobacterium infantis which are bacterium normally found in your intestines. Together these bacteria aid in digestion and the synthesis of vitamins. Here are the required steps. Heat milk to between 180 and 200 °F. Heating the milk is done for a few reasons. First, to sterilize/pasteurize the milk so that the yogurt bacteria/culture has a hospitable place to grow in. It is not desirable to incubate contaminating bacteria that might be present in the unsterilized milk. Heating should be done even with pasteurized milk to help make a smooth thick yogurt. Heating the milk also helps stop the whey from separating out quite as much. You must then cool milk to 115 °F and add yogurt culture. (If the milk is too hot it will kill the yogurt bacteria.) Stir in yogurt culture gently until dissolved. Hold temperature at 105 to 110 °F for approximately 8-10 hours. This allows your ""good"" bacteria to grow. The methods listed in the post are suitable for this. Finally, you must refrigerate the processed yogurt for at least two hours. Refrigeration help slow the continued bacterial growth. If yogurt is not refrigerated it will become sour."

Edited August 17, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[eternal]

So maybe I need to move to a purchased culture, though I don't like the idea of having to constantly replace the culture. Ideally, our yogurt is fairly cheap and consistent. I do get it to at least 180. We usually set the alarm at 185 and take it off the heat at that point.

I'll look into buying some other culture.

[eternal]

OK. I am a believer in that commercial starter Y4. Thank you so much for the info. My first batch came out kind of weird but the second batch was perfect - exactly what I want in a yogurt. A slight tang and a great texture. not super thick but almost like a slightly whipped heavy cream consistency. So why do I have to continue buying the commercial stuff? I like the idea of self-sustaining the yogurt culture. What happens after 3-4 uses? Why does it not keep living?

[eternal]

Happy accident this week. Using a new batch of Y4, i cooked up a liter (which uses 8 x 1/2 cup containers) of yogurt this week using whole milk and roughly 1/4 cup of milk powder (despite what andie says, the milk powder really helps thicken the yogurt, especially after a couple uses of the Y4) in our yogurt maker for 11 hours but then forgot to put them in the fridge for another 24 hours. They just sat on the countertop at room temp. The result is the best yogurt yet. It is rich and delicious and not very tangy (i don't like it very tangy / acidic). I think I might have to do this every time now.

[nakji]

What's your room temperature like where you are?

[andiesenji]

I'm bumping up this topic and posting this excellent idea before I forget it.

A friend came for lunch today and we were discussing yogurt as I have a batch incubating in the YoLife appliance.

She said she makes yogurt once a week and doesn't have a yogurt maker, per se.

She uses an insulated ice bucket that had not seen any use for years, since she got a fridge with an icemaker.

The bucket is stainless steel, inside and out and after pre-heating with hot water will hold the yogurt at the desired incubating temp for 8-10 hours.

Isn't this a good idea. I know I have two or three ice buckets languishing somewhere in my junk but never thought of using them for this.

(I have one of the semi-spherical ones that has penguins marching around the perimeter.)

Edited February 23, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[nakji]

That's a good idea, Andie. I wrap mine in a towel and leave it in a warm space right now, but I also have a large thermal bucket that may work similarly.

[Terrasanct]

I made yogurt yesterday using a slow cooker, which was really easy. I didn't read the whole thread so I don't know if anyone else mentioned this. You heat the milk for hours on low, cool down, and then stir in the yogurt and unplug/wrap in towel overnight. The yogurt isn't as sour as I'd like but I'm letting it sit longer and draining it. Next time I'll have to try with a better starter yogurt and some cream, too. It was just a really easy and unfussy method.

[Kerry Beal]

I put mine in a warm water filled cooler.

[liuzhou]

I just found two packages of what is described as powdered DIY Yogurt starter.

The instructions for use are identical (basically mix and hold at 113ºC for 8 hours) but the ingredients are different.

The one labelled "lactobacillus" contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus acidophilus only.

The one labelled bifidobacterium contains Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus casei.

If the instructions are correct, either will turn my cowjuice into yogurt, but what is the difference?

Also, the milk around here (China) is fairly low in fat. I guess this means my yogurt will remain fairly thin. Yes?

[liuzhou]

Also, the milk around here (China) is fairly low in fat. I guess this means my yogurt will remain fairly thin. Yes?

No!

Despite the low fat, my first batch turned out perfectly set and solid.

Happiness Stan!

[fajfall]

I make yoghurt every week using just a jar, a few spoons of (any) yoghurt, and a thermometer. No oven, no blanket, no yoghurt-maker, no special starter needed. Here's how I do it:

 

1. Bring milk to the boil, then remove from the stove as soon as it starts to rise. I use ordinary supermarket milk.

 

2. As milk cools, a skin will form. I skim it off when I'm ready to add the yoghurt.

 

3. I wait for the temperature to drop to 49 degrees Celsius (140 F).

 

4. I add this much yoghurt to a jar. I used to measure how many spoons, but now I just eyeball it to be about this much.

 

5. I skim off the skin that formed in the cooled milk.

5.

 

6. I scoop/pour some of the boiled milk to mix with the starter and mix it thoroughly. Don't skip this step or your starter might not mix properly.

 

 

7. Pour the mixed starter into the pot of milk and stir gently to blend the starter into the milk. Don't stir much or vigorously or the milk will cool down too far.

 

8. Pour it all back into the jar. Put on the lid, store out of sunlight for 8 hours.

 

 

9. Tilt the jar. If it's formed into yoghurt, there will be no sliding. If it's runny, then something has gone wrong (usually the milk was too hot or too cold when the starter was added). Refrigerate for about 8 hours before using, because this will thicken it up further and improve the taste.

 

 

10. Yoghurt has formed for eating.

           

 

SOME THINGS I'VE LEARNED:

 

- Homemade yoghurt tastes better because it's fresher and less sour (yoghurt sours with age). But the texture isn't as creamy or firm, and after 7 days it develops an off-smell and starts tasting worse. So it makes sense only if you regularly consume it because it lacks preservatives and additives of commercial yoghurt.

- I used to use an oven to keep the jar warm to incubate it, but later realised it didn't make a difference.

- I usually make it late at night and refrigerate it when I wake up.

- Once you've done it a few times it becomes a routine and second-nature.

- A thermometer isn't essential but it makes it far more convenient than the traditional finger-in-the-pot method to guess the temperature.

 

[scubadoo97]

This is the way I've done it.  Usually use a full gallon of milk and make several jars

[andiesenji]

For many yogurt cultures, 140° F is too hot and will kill some of the most desirable organisms.  

 

The optimum temp of the milk to add the culture is no more than 120°F.  I have my alarm thermometer set for 116° just to be sure and I have been making yogurt this way for decades.  

Earlier in this thread I quoted a bulletin from the California Dairy board with the criteria for culturing yogurt.  

It's on this page dated 8/17/2010.

 

Since then I got Kefir "grains" and in addition to yogurt have a constant kefir culture going - no preheating of the milk and it works at room temp.  I use a lot of it, drink it daily (my cardiologist recommended it) and it is very tasty.  

[scubadoo97]

Your right Andie, when I checked my notes the temp was cooled to like 115 before culture was added

Edited February 29, 2016 by scubadoo97 (log)