Faffa's best yoghurt recipe

[KarenH]

I have a question for all the expert yoghurt makers out there ...... I have lots of milk that is close to the use-by date (but still OK and not going off), will turning it into yoghurt extend the "life" of the milk?   

[judydawn]

I am no yoghurt expert Karen but if it hasn't reached it's use by date yet, I would make a batch then use it for something like the strawberry yoghurt sorbet in QFITT - or in your case perhaps use your frozen raspberries.  Once frozen the life would be extended.

Mango frozen yoghurt
Frozen Yoghurt Lollipops - perhaps good for you party next weekend.
Lemon Curd frozen yoghurt

[andiesenji]

Yes.  Turning the milk into yogurt will extend the life - for at least three weeks or so. 

[KarenH]

Thank you so much Judy and Andie!!   I just knew that one of the "gurus" on here would know the answer to that    Right - time to get off the forum and start making yoghurt 

[Wonder]

KarenH we keep yoghurt for up to three weeks without ny problem, I always use milk that is just at use by.

[VieveMS]

I did the same thing today - made yoghurt with milk that was at its due date.  It's still in the EasiYo so I am not sure if its worked (my yoghurt making is still a bit hit or miss) but now I am conflicted as to whether I leave it as yoghurt or turn it into a yoghurt ice-cream.  Something to think about overnight....

[Wonder]

Strangely, last night I found 2ltrs of milk that had mysteriously ended up in the outside fridge and the use by was today. I made it into yoghurt last night and will strain tonight. Fortunately we needed more yoghurt and it meant I didn't need to waste the milk.

[chrissa]

Seems to be a yoghurt kind of day

Thanks for your help today Wonder (on the other thread). Much appreciated.  I'm looking forward to my yoghurt for brekkie tomorrow already

[Wonder]

No worries. I made mine last night and left it in the microwave overnight and forgot all about it today, I was in such a hurry to leave for an early meeting I didn't even think of it. It will be interesting to see if it's any thicker than normal after the longer resting time uninterrupted.

[VieveMS]

This batch of yoghurt was my best yet - nice and thick and I haven't needed to strain at all.  I ended up using the same brand milk (full cream organic) so maybe being a little older helped in the setting process.  Or maybe it was because, like Wonder, I forgot about it and left it on the bench for almost 24 hours  .

Anyway, I have decided to turn some of it into yogurt sorbet.  I'm using the Strawberry Yoghurt Sorbet from QFITT but will probably use raspberries instead of strawberries.  I also didn't have any milk (used it all to make my yoghurt) so have substituted cream.  The yoghurt mixture is in the freezer for 12 hours so I'll post a review in the next couple of days once it is finished.

[VieveMS]

Just found another recipe for yogurt sorbet but this is more of a savoury version/palette cleanser.  It is Andrew Fielke's Cucumber, Yoghurt & Lemon Myrtle Sorbet.  Even better, it's already converted for TMX 

[andiesenji]

About the "use by" dates on dairy products.

In my experience, those are not exactly accurate - in fact, I go by how the milk tastes.  I buy organic milk (Horizon is the brand available in my area) which has a use-by date that is much further away from the date of sale than others, (as is the Lactose-free milk products)

The regular milk I bought a week ago has a use-by date of January 1, 2013.  I currently have a carton open (used on my breakfast cereal) that has a "use-by" date of November 7 but it is still sweet and good. 
Milk with less butterfat will not keep as long (seems odd to me)  but again, I taste it and use it until I can detect a bit of a sourness - at that point I heat it to 95° F  and mix with some of my buttermilk base and turn it into buttermilk for cooking.  It usually takes 8 hours at room temp to culture this. 
I do this if I have plenty of yogurt on hand.
If I have a lot of buttermilk, I freeze it. 
I don't throw out anything that has nutritive value.   I have recipes that use "sour milk"  mostly developed during the depression when it was considered criminal to toss out anything that could be used.  I was born in 1939 near the end of that decade and I grew up with the frugal and thrifty ideas from that era.

There are many sites with recipes but this one is helpful.

[chrissa]

I just made this again with a bottle of milk which was about to expire.

It didn't set.  About the top inch in the thermos was ok but the rest was just watery.

Grrrrrr

[Curry Diva]

My first batch did the same Karen. I read somewhere to wrap the thermoserve in a towel and place gently in microwave overnight. This keeps it warmer for longer. Since then I have never had a failure with my yoghurt and I am not game to change.

This is exactly what I do and no failures, but I place it in the oven (off) overnight. I use Aldi brand fresh skin milk and pop 100-150g Aldi skim milk powder in at the start, apart from that I use Valerie's online recipe, not the EDC recipe. Very thick result. Beautiful eating on it own if you like that sort of thing. It's thick n creamy like Greek yog.

[andiesenji]

If you have a heating pad you can use that.  I have a large one that is 24 inches long and even wrapped part way around a container it will maintain the temp.
Of course it is now winter here and I keep my house fairly cool.  During the summer when the temps are in the 90s (F) I don't even need to use the incubater.