Help me make some yoghurt!

[CarterBeatsTheDevil]

We got this folding bread proofer by Brod and Taylor that also makes yoghurt for Christmas. This is good because the other thing I did over Christmas was not cancel the milk. So we came back from our friends' house to a fridge full of semi-skimmed milk (many thanks to the pet sitter).

Clearly this is a sign from the universe that I should attempt yoghurt. I appreciate that whole milk would make a nicer yoghurt but that's what I have got. Are you a seasoned yoghurt maker? Can you help me with the basics? As in: what size containers should I make the yoghurt in? What starter should I use? When do I put flavourings in? How long will it keep in a sealed jar once made? I have looked this up but the instructions with the proofer are unhelpful and other blogs etc seem to assume that I will know a lot more about yoghurt making than I do!

Can you help? If so please do. Apologies if there is a fermenting board that I have overlooked.

Use any live yoghurt as a starter, and store in whatever containers you want! I always add flavourings at the time I eat it.

I tend to use Longley Farm yoghurt as a starter because they are local, and in the shop at the top of my street!

Traditionally, you need to heat fresh milk to about 80 degrees, then leave it to cool to about 40. Then add a tablespoon of live yoghurt and leave in an insulated container for 8 hours. If you have an instant pot, lots have a yoghurt setting. It will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks in whatever container you have.

I go for an easier method in an easiyo flask. Uht milk, 2 spoons of whole milk powder and a tablespoon of yoghurt. You then add the pot to the flask full of hot water and leave.

We use a slow cooker. Heat up full fat milk to 84 degrees, then cool it down to 40, add a ladle full of live yogurt and put a towel around the pot and leave overnight. We like Greek yogurt so drain it through a cloth once it’s finished.

you need to bring fresh milk to the boil, then reduce to between 37°C and 42°C. I boil it for 10 minutes to reduce it down a bit. It makes the yoghurt thicker.
At that time stir in one spoonful (I use a dessert spoon, but you can use a teaspoonful) of live yoghurt which has been brought up to room temperature.
You then need to keep it at that temperature for as long as you can, minimum 8 hours (I leave mine for 24)

you can wrap it in a towel and put it in an airing cupboard if you have one, or just wrap it in a big towel. If you have a sunny windowsill that's ideal.

Flavour when you eat it. I use fresh fruit and maple syrup if i want to sweeten it.

Keep back one spoonful to make the next lot.

I make it in an instant pot, in the container I will keep it in. Makes life easier. Tbs dried milk makes it thicker.

But I stopped bothering as it’s very cheap at Lidl!

Thanks so much all - sounds like I have been overthinking it a bit! I wouldn't normally make it but we have so much milk at the moment 😆

if you have space, you can freeze milk.
do let us know if you try it tho, i have been making my own yoghurt since the 70s. And while i know it's cheap, i don't like to think of all the pots that would have gone to landfill over those years (i eat yoghurt every day for breakfast except in the very coldest months when i eat porridge)

Thank you, I will let you know when I have tried it!

The addition of a couple of spoonsful of dried milk makes a thicker yoghurt.

When (if) you drain the whey from the yoghurt save it to add to soups, etc. as it is very nutritious. It's the protein base of expensive powders and shakes.

I think pp have covered all the points, I agree with making sure you keep it warm , I have a yoghurt maker now but before I got that I'd put it on a dinning chair very close to the radiator, turning it occasionally.
If you lime thick yoghurt strain it through cheese cloth or a tshirt for a hour or two.
The whey can be used for making pancakes / scones or added to batter mix apparently but I haven't tried that

Don't add any flavors untill your ready to eat it

It keeps really well, in any air tight container to keep it even longer put a disk of grease proof paper / clingfilm directly on top of the yoghurt making sure there is no air bubbles. It will easily keep for a month in the fridge then.

Oh I should of added , once you have made your 1st batch , keep a few tablespoons to one side to use as a starter for your next batch .

I also CBA with the heating, so I use UHT milk.

I made mine using skimmed milk and added a tablespoon of dried milk powder to thicken it.

Then double strained it once made - voila high protein no fat yoghurt. I actually just strained it in a metal fine mesh sieve.

The best tasting one would probably be semi skimmed or full fat milk, I think that was the first one I made and OMG the taste - I thought I'm never going back to shop bought yoghurt again!

I initially bought a yoghurt maker with six individual pots but the washing them is a faff, and I would not start the next batch as all the pots weren't clean, so I'm going to upgrade to a very big one pot maker.

Considering Yeo Valley is pushing £4 for the extra thick greek yoghurt, and I'd have 1-2 of them a week, whereas a litre of UHT is about £1, its very good value.

@ChinFluff46 , if you are going to a new one consider lakelands.
It's very easy to use and holds about 2 pints of milk .
It comes with a very fine mesh strainer.
Warm your milk , mix the starter in , add it all to the machine turn it on and ignore it for 8 hrs . It turns itself off so I put mine on overnight.
I have had mine for about 2 years and can't fault it.

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/31794/lakeland-multi-yogurt-and-soft-cheese-maker

You can freeze milk too.

It's actually really good!

I used 2 pints of milk, added double cream to compensate for one of them being semi skimmed, and a little bit of live yoghurt as a starter. The method I tried recommended bringing the milk and cream to 90C, holding it for 10 mins, cooling it to 46, incubating it for an hour at 49 and then turning it down to 30. I think I let it cool too much as it was nowhere near set in the 4 hours incubation time and I ended up leaving it overnight. But 10 hours got me some really silky, luxurious, well-set yoghurt and I am committed to becoming a yoghurt bore.

Many thanks to everyone for giving me the courage to try!

brilliant! I leave mine for 24 hours, and i think that helps the taste. Also it sets a bit more in the fridge.

You can freeze milk, make milk puddings, make a bread pudding (that uses tons of milk), make milk bread.

You'll be overrun with yoghurt with a lot of faff

Im not sure if you can make butter with semi skimmed milk?

You can make cheese.
Warm the milk to almost boiling point.
Add some citric acid.
Leave a few minutes.
Strain.

Oooooh

I hear you, but we get through an astonishing amount of yoghurt in this house and it really comes down to a 10 minute boil and then leaving jars in a warm box for a bit. We'll see, though. I do like the sound of milk puddings and milk bread, though!

The recipe will be online, probably something like home made mozzarella or ricotta or paneer.
Mine isn't like either of them but it's edible. Semi-skimmed gives you fewer curds.

I compost the whey.

How To Make Cheese At Home | Homemade Cheese Recipe | Arla UK

Oh well if you eat a lot of yoghurt anyway thats all good

although isnt it better with full fat milk?

Oh yes, that's why I added the cream. I had a pint of whole and a pint of semi to use up so I topped up the semi-skimmed with some double cream.

Now you're talking

Also, you can strain off the yoghurt to make labneh, then add herbs and garlic to it or just have it plain

Update, fermenters! The first batch of yoghurt was great, very luxurious, not that tangy but definitely yoghurt. Made a second batch with all whole milk but no cream and it is still delicious, slightly tangier, less rich. I am loving this. Especially loving that I can make over a kilo of organic yoghurt for the price of two litres of organic milk (NB I am a bit of a crank)