Yogurt... still confused!

[andiesenji]

As long as it tastes okay, it is fine to eat, just not fully cultured.

You can beat it to blend it well and keep it in the coldest part of the fridge and use it within a week.

[hopefulcook]

My one year old likes it. It is less sour than our usual. But 4yo turned up her nose!

So what is the liquid that drains off? Can I use for buttermilk scones? Thanks for your expertise!!

[Meagan]

The liquid is whey that comes out of the yoghurt you can use it in smoothies 

[andiesenji]

The liquid is whey that comes out of the yoghurt you can use it in smoothies 

And in baking, especially in sourdoughs, it gives a bit of extra "tang" and helps the sourdough culture develop a bit more "oomph" - I use it in rye sourdoughs as it lightens them a bit.

I make a lot of yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese and ricotta so I always have a surfeit of whey.  I freeze it in 1-cup portions - I use the inexpensive "disposable" plastic containers (no-name store "brand") which I can usually use two or three times before discarding.
After they are solidly frozen, I put all the small containers into a jumbo zip-type plastic freezer bag to keep them all together.
That way I only have to label the bag instead of a bunch of small containers.

[andiesenji]

I visited the goat and sheep dairy farm and had a great time.  I couldn't take my camera inside the processing facility because there was no way to be sure it was sterile and it did not work from inside a sterile bag - all I got was fuzzy pics of the plastic. 

I had to dress in coveralls, knee-length booties, a big "shower cap" on my head and wear a mask and gloves.  They don't want any "wild" bacteria in the plant so I had to go through an "airlock" sort of entry where the air blows outward, never inward.

They make yogurt in 100 gallon batches - it is very tangy and very tasty.  I brought home several generous samples of the yogurt, chevre and some aged sheep milk cheese - one is similar to manchego and is made only from the La Mancha sheep (I think I have the name correct)  They can't call it Manchego because that name is protected by Spain.  I would take photos but have to drive back up to get my camera, which I left in the office. Sometimes I am so dumb!

The goats and sheep are very friendly, I visited them after the tour of the plant.  The milking "shed" has a very sweet aroma, nothing like a cow facility.  They have three different breeds of milking goats and two milking sheep breeds.  They also have a fairly new herd of hybrid dairy goats that are also producing cashmere.  There are new kids and they are absolutely adorable.

I came away with a lot of respect for these folks who are part of the artisan cheese movement.  Unfortunately their products are not available locally in retail stores.  Their entire production goes to big hotels and high-end restaurants in the L.A. area - a lot of famous chefs love their stuff.  So do I. 
Their philosophy is keep the business small so they have full control of the quality. 
 

[natmum]

I just use pauls brand natural yogurt as my starter and follow Valerie's yog touch wood have never had it fail me
Takes a bit of time waiting for it to cool once you have heated your milk but is fine.

[lizzieO]

I have just read the posts on this

Making yoghurt should not be complicated.  I make it all the time using the EDC recipe heating it for only 20 mins, cooling until it feels warm to my little finger (clean!!!) - about 90 mins if you take it off the TM and leave it on the bench, add the yoghurt - I started with Jalna low-fat but am now just recycling my own yoghurt. I then mix for 10 secs at speed 4, then 37 degrees speed 1 for 10 mins. It then goes in the container of an Easi-Yo ($20 at K-Mart - I'm going to buy a second one so I can make a double lot).

The Easi-Yo instructions tell you to use boiling water  to keep the yogurt warm but their powdered product is made using cold milk. As 'our' yoghurt comes out warm from the TM you can end up overheating your precious bacteria  by using boiling water which will give you runny yogurt. If you just use water hot enough to put your finger in but too hot to leave it there it is perfect.

I leave the Easi-Yo on the bench for at least 12 hours  ( a couple more won't hurt) before putting the yoghurt  in the fridge. I have an empty Jalna container which also fits perfectly into the Easi-Yo insulated container which I currently alternate  with their big red lidded tall one. Currently I'm using the $2 light milk. My yoghurt is amazing, probably the best I've ever eaten. I've made yoghurt off and on for years using most methods you've ever heard off and this is the simplest and best ever.

I had a couple of runny numbers when I first got  my TM and worked out that the two things that made yoghurt runny were water too hot in the Easi-yo and too short a time I.E less than 12 hours on bench before refrigerating.

My phliosophy is that I spent all this money on this wonderful appliance in order to make my life easier and not more complicated and to date it has never let me down except for trying to brown onions. After owning Harriet for 8 months we are still an item and very much in love, well at least I am.

[judydawn]

Thanks for your hints on perfect yoghurt making lizzieO - I haven't made any for a while so will put it back on my list of things to do and will try it your way.
The TMX makes nice caramelised onions - I make up a batch before BBQ's then just throw then on the hotplate to warm up and everyone loves them.

[thermie crew]

The original link form JudyDawn is great-thank you  . I've struggled with yoghurt making in thermie before but this recipe worked well, is more yummy (less sour) than bought natural yoghurt and finally a texture that isn't like phlem! Watching the video was helpful too, gave me the confidence for another try. I'll be making this again. Keen to try the yoghurt cheese too but not sure of its uses.

[Twitterpated]

This is now my first official TMX disaster. I wasn't going to attempt at all due to all of the problems noted on the forum but was also assured by other posts that it does work. I spent ages reading all of the posts and watching the videos before attempting. I used a digital thermometer to check the temps and left it to cool in the thermoserver overnight. The result - a chunky curdled looking top and then what looked like milk underneath. I tasted it to check if I could just strain the top but it tasted a bit funky to me. I'm not sure what went wrong but it all seems like a lot of hassle when it doesn't work. It's only the cost of yoghurt that spurred me to try in the first place but at least that yoghurt is edible. Any hints?   

[ahoney]

Wow, you all make it sound so complicated lol! with thermometers e.t.c, I have never had a fail from the recipe in the indian cook book (wish i could post it on here) its so easy and only uses fresh milk and some yogurt as the starter. then i put it in a thermos flask over night all good!

[Meagan]

This is now my first official TMX disaster. I wasn't going to attempt at all due to all of the problems noted on the forum but was also assured by other posts that it does work. I spent ages reading all of the posts and watching the videos before attempting. I used a digital thermometer to check the temps and left it to cool in the thermoserver overnight. The result - a chunky curdled looking top and then what looked like milk underneath. I tasted it to check if I could just strain the top but it tasted a bit funky to me. I'm not sure what went wrong but it all seems like a lot of hassle when it doesn't work. It's only the cost of yoghurt that spurred me to try in the first place but at least that yoghurt is edible. Any hints?   

There are so many variables  the yoghurt starter, cleanliness of the container that is holding the yoghurt. Movement of the thermoserver whilst it is resting etc etc etc. Sorry to hear it was a flop for you. I have had success every time since using a starter from cheeselinks

[andiesenji]

This is now my first official TMX disaster. I wasn't going to attempt at all due to all of the problems noted on the forum but was also assured by other posts that it does work. I spent ages reading all of the posts and watching the videos before attempting. I used a digital thermometer to check the temps and left it to cool in the thermoserver overnight. The result - a chunky curdled looking top and then what looked like milk underneath. I tasted it to check if I could just strain the top but it tasted a bit funky to me. I'm not sure what went wrong but it all seems like a lot of hassle when it doesn't work. It's only the cost of yoghurt that spurred me to try in the first place but at least that yoghurt is edible. Any hints?   

It sounds like you got something like cottage cheese curds, separated from the whey.  This sometimes happens if the optimal incubating temperature is not maintained for the full time the lacto bacteria require to fully develop in the milk. 

When this happens you can mix the stuff with a whisk until it is again liquid and just keep it in a warm place for several hours.  It won't spoil, as long as other bacteria have not been introduced to the milk. 

What starter did you use? 

[Twitterpated]

I used the Jalna pot set full fat yoghurt as the starter. I did think about mixing it and leaving it but as it had a good 16 hours I thought it might be a waste of time. So down the sink it went!!

[Bonsai]

I was thinking of trying the cheeselinks starters, but not sure how 'thick' or 'thin' their yogurts turn out. We prefer a thicker spoonable yogurt (I buy Mundella in WA) - would the thick cheeselinks starter end up more like this - similar to a greek style. I suppose thicker is probably better unless I want drinking yougurt.

Has anyone tried these and noted a difference?