Anyone ever made yoghurt?

[MrsPennyapple]

I know you used to be able to get yoghurt makers years ago but haven't seen one in a long time. We get through loads of yoghurts as DD loves them, and I thought that I could save some money if I could make my own. I also make jam so could make nice fruity yoghurts.

I'm just wondering if anyone else does this, and if so, do I need a yoghurt maker, or is there another way to do it? Does it work out cheaper than buying them? (At least there would be fewer additives, even if not any cheaper.) Am I likely to poison everyone or is it pretty safe to do?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I read that if you strain it through muslin you get thick greek style yoghurt.

[dizzy77]

I use a severin(sp) yogurt maker I got off amazon with a plug timer like you use on a heater. I must admit I've never heated/cooled the milk, I just normally give it around 9 hours from cold ingredients.

For the 7 jars in the maker, my recipe is 1x150ml pot commercial yogurt (usually yeo valley natural full fat), 2pts full fat milk and 3tbs milk powder, which adds extra protein so makes it a bit thicker. I whisk the milk powder with a drop of the milk in the bottom of a jug, then whisk through the yogurt with a bit more milk before topping up & mixing the rest and pouring in to the jars. I find it lasts about a fortnight in the fridge, it just gets a little sharper the longer it stays in there.

I haven't done it for ages and miss those little jars. I have also never paid that close attention to seek by dates on commercial yogurt tho so other people may be appalled by my approach.

[joanofarchitrave]

I use the lakeland one - I'd always recommend getting two of the main pots so that you can have one in the fridge and one in the wash.

Sometimes I have left the yogurt accidentally for longer than 8 hours probably 18 hours at one point and it tends to just get thicker :)

[dizzy77]

joanofarchitrave pleased it's not just me who sometimes forgets about it! That's why we put it on the clock timer thing! I consider it all "good" bacteria anyway .

[bruffin]

I have the lakeland bulk one as well. Just use cold uht milk and live yoghurt. I dont bother with milk powder either. The other bit of advice is that you are not supposed to move the yoghurt while it is cooking.
The easiyo relies on expensive sachets mixed with water to make the yoghurt and not really home made yoghurt

[MrsPennyapple]

Did someone mention lemon curd ice cream? Sounds lovely!

I am definitely going to get a yogurt maker. Have looked at the Severin one, Will check out Lakeland as well.

Good question about frozen yogurt, I'm always on the lookout for tasty puddings I can make at home.

[TomDudgeon]

I do it like this
Except I'm using the airing cupboard as we don't have an aga to use currently

[Moominsarehippos]

Lemon curd icecream:

Approx 300g each of double cream and lemon curd (good shop or home made)
Whisk cream until really thick, stir in lemon curd
Pop into tupperware and freeze for 2 hrs
Take out of freezer (taste) stir with fork and pop back in freezer for 2 hrs
Take out of freezer (taste) stir with fork and pop back in freezer for another 2 hrs
Take out of freezer (taste) stir with fork and pop back in freezer for another 2 hrs

There may not be any left by then though. Maybe best to double ingredient quantities.

[mistlethrush]

I used to make it using a food flask - that was the only equipment (oh and a saucepan for heating the milk) required.

You do need a pot of active yoghurt the first time.

So... warm 1l milk to blood temp, put in a spoonfull of the natural yoghurt, add in the warm milk, put the top on and leave it until its cold (8hrs?). Tip out into a bowl or box and put in the fridge...

Next time, use a spoonful of the yog you have made to add to the milk.

If its too runny for your likes, add a bit of skimmed milk powder to the warm milk before you put it in the flask.

[MrsPennyapple]

Thanks Moomins I can see me having a go at that very soon!

[Moominsarehippos]

It is so nice! I make lots of ice cream and this one definitely is the one that people ask for when they are coming over.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I made a really nice brown bread ice cream once. But we dont have a freezer now and I lost the recipe anyway.

That lemon curd ice cream sounds so nice. I have written it down for when we have a freezer again.

[MrsPennyapple]

I've made ice cream a few times, my favourite being rhubarb crumble flavour.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Bought the lakeland yoghurt maker today. Buying UHT milk and starter yoghurt tomorrow. Quite excited about it really!

[MrsPennyapple]

Ooh, let us know how it goes! I really, really want to get one, but I am getting married in May and my mum has asked for ideas for what to get us. I've told her no end of times we don't really need anything, but she kept asking, so I suggested a few items, and yoghurt maker is on the list. Wishing I hadn't said it now, as I really want to go and buy one IMMEDAITELY!!!

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

It didnt work. Followed instructions exactly and it was still milk after the 8 hours.

I will be getting a refund.

[MrsPennyapple]

Oh, that's disappointing. Do you think it's broken? Will you try again with a different one?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I think (on reflection, once I calmed down) that my kitchen is too cold.

I need to get some more yoghurt as a starter and I will try once more. This time I will put it upstairs wrapped in a towel, and if it still doesnt work I will take it back.

I will probably give up :(

[bruffin]

The temperature of the kitchen shouldn't make any difference as the lakeland one is electronically heated and youbshouldnt move the yogurt at all when it is "cooking"

I never had a problem with the lakeland maker except when I didn't use uht milk. Did you definitely use a live yogurt?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

The instruction book said something about the kitchen being too cold.

The youghurt said on it "Natural live bio yoghurt." but it wasnt a big brand so maybe it wasnt strong enough.

The booklet said 10ml yoghurt to 900ml UHT milk. And it wasnt moved but now I am thinking maybe there were vibrations on the bench.

It smelt vaguely of yoghurt but was still milk, no lumps or anything.

[bruffin]

The instructions i have just say that a cool draughty room will increase the yogurt making time, but that shouldnt stop it working at all. It does say the milk should be at room temperature not straight from the fridge.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

The milk was at room temp. But then if the kitchens cold maybe the milk was cold.

I dont know. I followed the instructions exactly and it didnt work.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

I had the Lakeland one and it worked fine but you do have to brew it for a lot longer if your kitchen's cold. I found that straining it through muslin was the only way it was palatable as it was too thin straight from the pot and I like really thick yoghurts. I freecycled it in the end as I found I made better yog in a flask in the airing cupboard, then I gave that up as well and just buy commercial pots of plain yog again and flavour them myself.