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.

I am glad it's going so well for you.
What method are you using?

Have you experimented with adding flavors yet ?
I am on a ginger and honey batch atm
Very finely chopped fresh ginger , about 2 inches and a full jar of runny honey . Leave it somewhere warm for a few days, then leave in a cooler spot for as long as you want.
It keeps pretty much indefinitely and is also good for cooking with.

No, not yet - I am a massive fan of plain yoghurt but I would love to start experimenting.

I've been holding the milk at 90 for 10 mins, then cooling it, mixing in the starter (bit of Yeo Valley natural live) and then incubating it in jars in the proofer for an hour on 49C before turning it down to 30C and basically leaving it until the morning (so around 6-8 hours). The first time I did it, I didn't preheat the proofer early enough and it wasn't quite at temp so I think that might explain why the tang was so faint.

You know for years I didn't realise that I could create an ice bath for custards etc using the many cooling blocks and packs I have accumulated in the freezer!

When do you add the flavours?

You have more patience than me , I use a lakeland yoghurt maker ( mentioned up thread ) but your method allows you to tinker with it more than mine.

I add my flavours once its at the ready to eat stage , doing it sooner mess's with the fermentation, I ruined a 3 pint batch early on in my experimenting 🥺.

Once it's ready to eat add what ever you want but stay away from acidic things like pineapple, orange, grapefruit.
As long as the fruit is submerged so the air can't get to it it will keep for a week+ ,to keep it longer cover the top of the yoghurt a wax / baking paper / clingfilm disc .
Making sure you don't leave any air pockets, it will easily keep for a month then