Yogurt... still confused!

[hopefulcook]

I tried making yogurt a year or so ago with no success (same story, too runny). Now milk is $1/litre and I buy Greek yogurt for $5+/litre and I'd like to have another bash. But even reading through the threads I am still pretty confused as to the best method using the thermie and thermoserver. Can anyone help with some simplified advice please? Thanks heaps.

[judydawn]

Our yoghurt thread has got rather long hopefulcook so here is the link to the one that most of this information is based on. Have a try and see how you go.

[opi2kenopi]

Hi hopefulcook,

I make yoghurt every week and have only had it fail once and that was when I used the wrong starter.  Here are my instructions:

Place milk (1 or 2L) into TM bowl.  Heat for 15 minutes at 90ºC on speed 3.  Allow to cool to 37ºC (at this point I wouldn't necessarily rely on the Thermomix temp for an accurate reading).  It often says 37ºC but can be quite a bit warmer than that.  I actually get my children's thermometer out, put it in a ziploc bag and use that to get a reading.  It needs to be cooler than 45ºC.  It can take several hours to get that cool (particularly if using 2L milk).  Once you have a reading of around 40ºC add your starter yoghurt (about 1/4 cup).  I use Jalna Pot Set Organic/Biodynamic Whole Milk yoghurt.  Mix at 37ºC for 2 minutes on speed 3 (you don't need to do it any longer - it's really just to get the starter up to the same temp as the rest of the milk).  Pour into Thermoserver and wait!  I normally do this in the evening and leave it out on the bench until morning.  Five hours is too short - the longer you leave it, the thicker it will become.  In cooler weather I have been known to keep it cosy in a beach towel!

Good luck

[bigTcup]

Hi Hopefulcook - the yogurt thread that judydawn has posted is pretty helpful.  I use the recipe from judy's link (similar to opi2kenopi & haven't had any problems.  Definitely give it another go - it is worth the perseverance with the $ you will save.  Good luck 

[zebraa]

I'm about to get back into making yogurt - that method works for me - good tip about the kids thermometer too!

I won't be using $1 a litre milk though because I support dairy farmers and not multinational companies so I will keep buying my local milk.

[CreamPuff63]

I won't be using $1 a litre milk though because I support dairy farmers and not multinational companies so I will keep buying my local milk.

Since I found out about homogenised milk, I have been sticking to the Margaret River Organic unhomogenised milk  and loving it!

[andiesenji]

Get an instant-read probe type thermometer.  They are not expensive.

In my TM31 the temp sensors are not at all accurate.  When liquid temps shows 37° C. , testing with my external thermometer shows the temp of the liquid to actually be 120° F., or 49° C.  That is way too hot and will kill any yogurt culture.

In my opinion, and in all the instructions I have for making yogurt, 37° C., is really not quite warm enough to give a good start to a yogurt culture.
I have three books on cheesemaking open and they all state the ideal temp is 112° F, = 44° C.   One book states: If the temperature of the milk falls below 100° F, the culture will not develop as rapidly and the lactobacillus will not be able to convert the proteins.

If you check the second paragraph on this page 
note that it states that the desired conversion takes place at 43°C.

The reason I use a starter culture is because these cultures, sold by Cheeselinks in OZ, are correctly balanced.   Using commercial yogurt as a starter does not always work well because some are treated during packaging to make them more stable during shipment and storage and some of the organisms can be affected.  If you don't have the perfect balance, you get more activity from one or the other and your results will be the stringy or only partially converted proteins. 

I'm not getting any advantage by advocating the purchase of these cultures, I simply know I get a better result with them.  I can't stand waste of any kind and having to throw away improperly processed dairy products is to me a monumental waste. 

As I have said in posts on the other threads, I heat the milk in the microwave and transfer it to another glass container to cool.  You can speed up the cooling with blue ice packs or set the container in a shallow bowl of ice water and stir the milk so it cools evenly.

[Twitterpated]

Yoghurt was going to be my next challenge as we go through about $25+ of yoghurt a week. It's starting to look like a major mission so I think I'll put it off and investigate further. 

[gertbysea]

Another thing you can do is when your yogurt is set, line a strainer with chux pour the yogurt on top and wrap. Strain overnight in the fridge and you will have a thicker yogurt.

Gretch

[andiesenji]

Yoghurt was going to be my next challenge as we go through about $25+ of yoghurt a week. It's starting to look like a major mission so I think I'll put it off and investigate further. 

I hope I didn't create the appearance that yogurt is a "major mission."   It really isn't  and I'm pretty sure that once you go through the procedure once, you will find it is really quite simple.

I recommend an instant-read thermometer because my particular TMX doesn't have an accurate temperature sensor.   And I heat the milk in my microwave because I've been doing it that way for years and it works for me.  I prepare 1/2 gallon (2 liters) at a time and from experience I know that if the milk is cold it takes 15 minutes on high to heat to the required temp.

Let me say that when I first began making yogurt it was in the days prior to "instant-read" thermometers and I simply put the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and brought it to the "scalding" point - a gentle simmer without boiling it.
I then cooled it until it just felt fairly warm on the inside of my wrist - about 110 degrees F., slightly warmer than baby formula.

At that time there was only one commercial yogurt culture available and only at health food stores and it was expensive but the instructions stated that the resulting yogurt could be used as a "starter" for three or four additional batches as long as nothing was added to it.
I made yogurt for decades this way and never had a problem. 
Now I have yogurt appliances and one non-electric incubator but they are not absolutely necessary, just make the process easier.

Don't be put off by my wordiness, this is an easy thing as well as being fun and saving a lot of money.

[hopefulcook]

Finally got a chance to try again last night. I used our 'frother' thermometer to check the temp and found the same - thermo under-read by quite a lot. Anyway, added Jalna and left overnight. This morning I put in a sieve in muslin cloth. It is still really stringy. Any suggestions how to get it thicker, creamier? The family are huge fans of Farmers Union Greek style yogurt so that is what i am aiming for...
BTW would love to buy organic milk but we are living on a single income so until kids are bigger and I go back to work we all need to make compromises... Was hoping this was a way to save a bit extra $$$

[andiesenji]

I don't know what Jalna is - it's not sold in the US.

The stringy consistency is because the culture is not balanced.  One organism is taking over and not allowing the other to develop.
As the old saying goes: "It takes TWO to TANGO."

I often use regular supermarket milk, the organic stuff is no more "workable" than regular milk, I buy it at Walmart.
At least one other member on this forum is using one of the starters from Cheeselinks and I believe with good results.

Here's another web page for making yogurt.  With some troubleshooting tips and explanations of why a batch did not work.


I documented my entire process a few days ago and published it on my blog:
Homemade Yogurt Start-To-Finish.
 

[Cornish Cream]

Thanks Andie for the detailed tutorial for making yogurt on your blog.You certainly achieve great results.

[andiesenji]

Tomorrow I am going to visit a small creamery where they prepare yogurt from goat milk, although their main business is making fresh chevre and some aged cheeses from goat or from sheep milk. 
I met the owner via one of the members of my book club and have been wanting to make this visit for several months.

I will take notes and photos (if allowed) and will be sure to ask about their processing methods.  The place has won several awards for their cheeses.  I have tried them but not the yogurt.  I'm hoping for samples!

I did phone the local health food store this morning and was told the only yogurt they recommend for making yogurt at home is made by Alta Dena - it is not flash-chilled because it is not shipped long distances.  She said that the other big commercial companies (even the organic ones) chill the yogurt so much that it inactivates the culture and really interferes with the development of the Lactobacillus bifidus which is the one that is helpful to folks with intestinal problems (irregularity they call it in the TV ads). 

We spoke at some length and she said that too many people get discouraged with making yogurt because they have a starter with one or more inactive cultures. 
She says that far too often they seem to think that one or more steps can be skipped and they can use just any yogurt from the market.   She thinks it's odd that people will spend $50.00 for the "equipment" and balk at spending $6.00 for six envelopes of culture with is guaranteed to work. 
They have a new yogurt "maker" that has a little solar heater that circulates warm water around the inner container.  They have not yet set it up to demonstrate it and the box was not very informative but when it is up and running, I will go down and take some photos.  It is very expensive and seems to be aimed at campers or people who are living "off the grid" in places that must get pretty cold (like up in the high Sierras).  I know I wouldn't pay $125.00 for the thing.  In the summer it would cook the milk here in the desert. 

[hopefulcook]

Hi Andie thanks for all your advice. Quick question... Can we still eat the stringy yogurt? What can I do with it? Second question, is the liquid that dripped out buttermilk or am I confusing it with something else?
I think I will try the link you suggested for getting the starter. I would so love to get it right but it does seem out of reach right now!!