Electric Yoghurt maker question

[Frozzie]

glad you found your pots meagan..

over here we have yoghurt makers too but they come in various sizes but with individual and mostly glass pots and some just make yoghurt and others do flavoured desserts and soft white cheeses as well

i just bought one which does all three..yet to receive it but hope to have it in a week or so to try out not only yoghurt but cheeses and some flavoured creams as they call them here like the danone style that come in a whole lot of flavours so will have fun experimenting!!  The good thing is this one comes with 12 glass pots ready for consumption (useful for doing various flavours at once i guess) and i can buy as many of the same pots as i like and do one lot of yoghurt, next a lot of cheese then a lot of dessert creams and so on... )..it makes 1.4L at once!

here is a photo...not sure of what is available in oz but ive noticed most of the aussies have a large tub type maker??  Anyway i look forward to receiving my 'multi delices'

 

[andiesenji]

There are various ways to keep your yogurt at the correct incubating temperature without going to the expense of a yogurt maker.

One of my neighbors who is strapped for cash (her husband is in the military and deployed to the middle-east and she has 5 children), make yogurt in a gallon "pickle" jar.
After heating and cooling the milk she puts it into the jar, wraps a clean bath towel around it and then a large heating pad, set on the lowest setting. 
The heating pad is secured to the towel-wrapped jar with a couple of bungee cords and she drapes another heavy towel over the top. 
This way she can check the yogurt by simply lifting off the towel and removing the lid.  She can then leave it to continue incubating if needed.
She does this twice a week because she gives her children cold cereal mixed with honey-sweetened yogurt for breakfast as they like it better than regular milk.  (And it does not spill as easily!)

Another friend, who lives up at Mammoth Mountain uses a 1-gallon Thermos that she pre-treats with very hot water before adding the heated and cooled milk.  She says once heated, it will hold the heat nicely for at least 8 hours. 

[consumerate]

Has anyone tried the new wave yoghurt maker?
http://newwavekaaus.shop033.com/p/8715951/yoghurt-maker.html

[Wonder]

Consumerate, I purchased the Aldi one for only $19. Unless you make a lot of yoghurt $69 seems expensive.

[courton]

Wonder, do you like the Aldi one? Do you use a yogurt strainer and if so, what brand. I am finally considering home made yogurt since we go through a kilo a week.

[Wonder]

To be honest courton, I've only used the yoghurt maker once to make coconut yoghurt and it was great. We aren't big yoghurt eaters and really only enjoy greek yoghurt. In the past I've made it in the thermoserver as per Faffa's instructions using a cheeselinks starter and these days mostly Liddells lactose free milk. I then strain through a jam strainer which I bought at Wheel and Barrow a while ago. I really need to make some more but just don't get around to it that often.

[consumerate]

Unless you make a lot of yoghurt $69 seems expensive.

It does, but kitchenware direct have it for $45 which didn't seem too bad.  $19 would be great but Aldi is a long way from WA. Might ask a relo to grab me one if it becomes available again. 

[Wonder]

Sorry i forget Aldi isn't all over Australia

[courton]

Thanks Wonder. When you make it in the Thermoserver with lactose free milk does it come out thick and not too tarty? We like thick greek style yogurt without the tartness.

[Wonder]

I always strain it for quite a few hours using one of these, once strained it gives a very thick greek style yoghurt. We find the flavour great.

https://www.wheelandbarrow.com.au/kitchenware/gadgets/jam-straining-kit

[courton]

Thanks Wonder. I am going to buy the jam strainer and give it a go!

[Wonder]

Just keep in mind you only end up with half the quantity of yoghurt. If I'm making bread I'll keep the whey but otherwise unfortunately it ends up down the drain.

[courton]

Good idea about the whey!

[Debbiebillg]

We have been making our own yoghurt for quite a while now and the other day I relented and bought a 1kg tub of greek yoghurt as one of my sons will only eat this. Anyhow, it's started us off again now on Greek Yoghurt.  I might just have to give this a go making it ourselves. Just a question though, where do you put it while it's straining ? I'm assuming in the fridge (well I hope so lol). We couldn't leave it sitting out straining ........... too hot and too many undesirable insects especially with kids leaving doors open all the time !

[Wonder]

Debbiebillg, sorry but most times I just leave it on the bench covered loosely with a piece of cling film (glad wrap). Only DD and I eat it plain but DS and DH think the tatziki made with the home made Greek yoghurt better than anything we can buy and it gets eaten in a flash.