Valerie's Yoghurt & Yoghurt Cheese

[cookie1]

Isn't is fantastic that from a failure we can make a success. eg icecream etc. I don't know if I have more failures with the TMX or are just thinking a little more laterally.

[JulieO]

I think if you can use the 'failures' in a productive manner then it doesn't seem so bad (no wastage of ingredients). 

I have just churned the lemon filling and it's oh so nice, real tart.  Have put it into the freezer but won't have it today as we have the LMP for after tea. 

[A Canadian Foodie]

I've marinated some in oil and herbs, and some in sweet chilli sauce.  Will give the verdict when I get it officially tomorrow night.

Served these last night.  The sweet chilli sauce balls were a big hit.  Everyone loved how they were bite sized balls that could be smeared on a cracker or just popped into the mouth.  The herb ones were a bit disappointing - the cheese was great, but not much extra flavour.  Maybe I was supposed to grind the seeds?

Also, they were delicious on a toothpick with a chicken meatball.

If you checked out the recipe I used, they are really flavourful...the garlic and the salt add the extra kick. I didn't grind my seeds, but do let the balls sit in them a bit with the oil and they become soft. Sorry yours weren't the hit mine are... and AI am surprised, because it seems whoever I serve them to go nuts over them - and that continues to suprise me!

[JulieO]

2 or 3 weeks ago Thermomixer posted about cooking the milk at a higher temp (90C/15 mins, compared to 80C/20 mins) to possibly make the yoghurt slightly thicker.  I made 1 litre doing this method about 10 days ago and I'm much happier at the outcome of the yoghurt. 

Funnily enough I didn't think it had set at first as instead of putting it into the thermoserver for the 5 hour standing, and then putting it  into another container to keep in the fridge, I decided straight away to pour into a sterilized 1 litre EasiYo container.  I put that inside the empty thermos that comes with it, and left it for about 6 hours. 

When I checked it, it was still liquid and thought it hadn't worked, but just in case I decided to put hot tap water into the thermos and put the EasiYo container back in and then I left it overnight.  The next morning, it was perfect.   

I think because it was sitting in a deeper container, it took longer to set than in the shallower thermoserver.  Anyway, I was very happy with it and I will continue to do it this way from now on.  I find 1 litre the right amount to make for us and using 1/4 cup of the previous batch makes for a very cheap container of yoghurt. 

[judydawn]

Thanks JulieO, nice to know.  Clever Thermomixer 

[Ceejay]

Thanks Julie... I will need to try this tweak I think!

[cookie1]

Well at long last I made some of this lovely sounding yoghurt. I had exactly the same problems JulieO had. Mine was a sort of slime. I've used some to make a low cal pannacota (if it works I'll post the recipe) and will freeze the rest for icecream.
I used Mundella as a starter and it seems to fit all the pre requisites. I used hi lo milk. Perhaps-after reading through the entire thread I didn't leave it in the easi-yo thermos long enough.
I will give it another go tomorrow. The taste is lovely, just runny.

[meganjane]

I can't believe I've only just found this thread! I adore plain yoghurt and have it almost every day - instead of sour cream, for bircher muesli, in Indian cooking etc.
I've run out as I recently had an Indian Feast night and used a whole litre of Greek Yoghurt. I don't have any starter, but found some EasyYo Greek Yoghurt mix in my pantry that was still in date. It's in the Thermoserver now.
Valerie, your videos are wonderful! Thanks so much for all the effort that you go to in making these.

[cookie1]

I've used up my 1 litre of semi set yoghurt already. Some in this afternoons milk shakes, some in the freezer to do Bron's icecream and some in tonights curry.
I have another lot in the easi-yo thermos so we'll see what happens.

MJ I am like you and love natural yoghurt. The farmer's market at Albany had some really beautiful natural yoghurt. It was the nicest I have ever tasted.

[cookie1]

IT WORKED IT WORKED!!!!!! I'm sure you may see that I'm pleased. This is truly the best yoghurt I have ever tasted. I used hi-lo milk, the Mundella starter, I did 90⁰C for 15 minutes and left it in my easi-yo thermos without water for near enough to 13 or so hours. I'm thrilled. Thank you all, especially Valerie. Next I'll try the cheese. It sounds nice with the sweet chilli sauce.

[meganjane]

  Here's a smiley for you:

Mine is made too, but it's a different texture to normal yoghurt. It's kind of 'stringy'. Nice and thick though. I'm a bit disappointed in the flavour, but perhaps it needs to mature.
It just doesn't have that 'tang'.
I had to use Hi-Lo milk as that was all I had. I added two tablespoons of full cream powdered milk in case there wasn't enough fat in it. I used Mundella for my starter too!

I used up the rest of the Mundella yoghurt for Yoghurt Cheese. It took ages to drain. I used muslin, so maybe a tea towel is better. I've just rolled the cheese into balls in a blend of dukkah and dried herbs and they're marinading in EVOO as I type!

[cathy79]

We probably like it so much because it doesn't have the tang.  Means I don't have to sweeten it up too much for my toddlers.

[meganjane]

Does it develop a sourness after a while cathy? I'm also wondering why mine has a stringy, gluey texture...

[judydawn]

That little fellow is going to get awfully tired running around like a mad-man MJ  (or should I say mad-person, just doesn't sound the same )  So clever of you.

[cathy79]

Does it develop a sourness after a while cathy? I'm also wondering why mine has a stringy, gluey texture...

Yes mine does get sour after a little while.  I guess it's a matter of preference - some think it's getting better with age.

Stringy and gluey?  That does not sound right at all.  I've always used full-fat milk and full-fat yoghurt, and I've never added powdered milk.  So maybe those changes could be contributing to the texture issues?