Valerie's Yoghurt & Yoghurt Cheese

[andiesenji]

I had a similar event a few years ago - I made a batch while visiting a friend and as she did not have an accurate thermometer I had to guess at the milk temp and I believe it did not get hot enough.  It was in the summer and temps were in the 90s (Fahrenheit).

It had a thick foamy layer on top that also turned a faint pink color at the bottom of that layer.  I tossed it as it seemed indicative of unwanted bacteria growth.

[andiesenji]

Yesterday I started one batch of almond milk yogurt, using the same formula I use with regular milk.
I used a culture from New England Cheesemaking, almost identical to that from Cheeselinks.

I had previously flavored the almond milk, while making it, with vanilla (forgot that I planned to try making yogurt) but it has turned out fairly well.  It is not as thick and "set" as the yogurt I make with skim milk but I used the Yogotherm as I also had a batch made with half & half (light cream) in the electric YoLife.  (I need sour cream for an upcoming taco party for which this will be used.)

The almond milk yogurt is also sort of a tan color.  It is now chilling and I think will be firmer after it has been in the fridge for awhile.

Some time ago I tried making yogurt with some commercial oat milk but it was not to my taste.  It had a sort of "cardboard" flavor that I found unpleasant, although others, who mixed it with fruit, said it tasted fine. 

When I use the half & half or light cream, I leave it to incubate for at least 18 hours and have found the consistency to be much more stable and with less whey with this length of time. 

I just took it out of the incubator and as you can see, it is very firm and is perfect for use as sour cream.  It will also be much firmer after it has been chilled.

[Nay-nay]

That is impressive! Did you make your own almond milk??

[andiesenji]

The yogurt in the photos is the batch made with half & half or light cream - this is what I will use for sour cream at a taco party.

I have yet to take photos of the yogurt made with the almond milk.

Yes, I made my own.  I have an appliance specifically for that so it comes out filtered.
I did try one batch in the TMX but filtering it was sort of messy so I went back to my old Soyabella.

[Frozzie]

I made the yoghurt this morning (1 litre) and left in a thermoserver for the 5 hours..  Have just checked it and it's still thin and runny    Obviously something I've done and I'm glad I only made half serve.  Used jalna low fat natural as the starter and a combo of full cream milk and reduced fat.

I wonder if it's because I put the heated milk in the fridge to cool down to the 37 degrees that caused the failure? 
Have left it to one side in the kitchen and will check it again later, but looks like I may have to throw this batch away and try again tomorrow. 

sorry if someone has already answered this and i know this dates back a while but answering anyway..when using low fat you just need to let it set ALOT longer ..over here 8 hours is normal for full fat and up to 15 hours for low fat yoghurts...

[andiesenji]

I took a photo of the yogurt made with the almond milk.

It is a beige color and produced a lot more liquid "whey" than with regular milk and the liquid is clear. 

When I try this again, I will make the almond milk "double strength" so it is more like almond cream. 

My next project will be trying it with rice milk and from this result, I will also make the rice milk extra thick. 

[O4aTimtam]

Hello Yoghurt Gurus 

I have had moderate success with my yoghurt would would like to tweak a little.  I am on the Dukan diet healthy eating plan so am using skim milk.  I am also "setting" it in a hot water rinsed thermo serve.

My first batch I made exactly as EDC using "Margaret River Pot Set Natural Pot set 99% fat free".  This worked fine, but I would rather not add the milk powder if I don't have to.  And it did burn on the bottom of the bowl.

Second batch I used Valerie's times and temps (80 deg compared to EDC's 90) and no milk power, but only 800ml skim milk.  Took about 15 hours to set, but tasted okay - eventually!

Third batch I used Valerie's times and temps and added the 50g milk powder, 900ml skim milk.  Success again, although as with all my batches has a slightly stringy texture (not sure if this is the skim milk or a 99% fat free starter).  I did this on speed 3, and no sticking either.

My aim is to make my yoghurt as fat free as possible. 

Questions: 

1.  Would I be better off using skim milk but with a full fat starter and then leaving out the milk power?

2.  Would I be better off using a Cheeselinks starter, eg C aBY as previously suggested in the thread.

3.  If I still need to use milk power to help the skim milk set, what would be a minimum quantity I could reduce it to - EDC says to use 50g

4.  Is it okay to use temp 80 (as per Valerie) or should I use 90 as per EDC, having read 82 deg was the magic heating number.

Thanks in anticipation, and any other tips greatly appreciated :-)

PS  Might pop out to the local Indian shop and see if I can get a 1 L container today too.  I always transfer it into a glass pyrex container with a rubber lid when set, for storage in the frige.

[andiesenji]

Here's an interesting suggestion from one of my book club members who came to lunch.

She doesn't have a specific yogurt appliance but makes yogurt at least once a week.

She uses an insulated ice bucket that she says has been hanging around in a cupboard for years since she got a fridge with an ice maker.

It is stainless steel inside and out and holds the warm milk at the desirable temp for 8-10 hours, which is how long she incubates the yogurt.  (She uses the readily available cultures sold at the local health food store: Yogourmet  brand)

I never thought of this and I have two or three old ice buckets somewhere in my junk.  One has penguins marching around it - I remember seeing that one a while back when I was hunting for something else. 

What a good idea.   See, one never knows where an inventive use for something will pop up.

[bigTcup]

Made some for my mum the other day - just 1 litre as they don't eat as much as we do (my 2 kiddies LOVE it!!).  Had a little too much for the 1 litre thermoserver so just poured into a glass bowl and left it in the microwave.  Left the thermoserver on the kitchen bench all day & glass bowl in the microwave all day then put both in the fridge overnight.  Both set perfectly!  Love this recipe - have been telling all my friends 

[moochoo]

Once i've put the yogurt in the thermo server, when does it go into the fridge? Or does it just sit on the bench?
Also, i would like to add strawberries - our fav flavour. How would i do this?

[faffa_70]

Moochoo sit it on your bench until it is set (about 8 hours or so) I leave it overnight and often put it in my oven or microwave (OFF of course!!) so that it isn't knocked etc

as for adding strawberries, I am not sure. I have tried and the yoghurt didn't set for me, so I add everything after when I serve it up. Sort of suits us as there are so many of us we can choose to have what ever we like in it then. 

[andiesenji]

Fruits and any flavors - honey, sugar and so on, should not be added until after the yogurt has been chilled - after the incubation period of 8 to whatever hours it takes. 

I like the tangier flavor of yogurt that has been incubated longer so mine often goes for a minimum of 12 hours and sometimes longer.

It it isn't too hot, that is, ambient tempts above 80° F.  or  26° C., you can leave it at room temp for a prolonged period with no problems.

You have to remember that this is a dairy product that was developed in countries where they did not have refrigeration and this was the best way to preserve milk. 

I have an elderly friend who was born and grew up in Lebanon before WWII and they had no refrigeration at all.  They made yogurt (called Laban there) and it was never refrigerated, simply kept in a crock that sat in a wide shallow pan filled with water and covered with a damp cloth.  The evaporation kept the crock cooler than the air temp.
They made a batch every other day and the newly boiled milk was simply cooled and poured into the crock at the end of the day and was ready to eat the next morning.  Every few weeks the crock would be cleaned, scalded and the entire process begun again.

She says that not only did they eat it in many different ways, made drinks with it, ditto, they also used it on their faces and hands because it is an excellent facial "cream" and if you have sore eyes, a generous dollop on your closed eyes, covered with a wet cloth while you rest for twenty minutes, will do wonders. 
All I can say is that she is 88 and has beautiful skin so there must be something to it.

[faffa_70]

I believe there would be Andie, just like bathing in milk I guess. Think my kids would have a fit if the yoghurt suddenly started disappearing for my skin as I struggle to keep up with the supply as it is 

[andiesenji]

I believe there would be Andie, just like bathing in milk I guess. Think my kids would have a fit if the yoghurt suddenly started disappearing for my skin as I struggle to keep up with the supply as it is 

She only uses a couple of teaspoons.

[bigTcup]

I have been making this yogurt successfully for a while now & was wondering if I could use unpasteurised milk and not heat the milk to 80 degrees?  Any ideas?