HM Yoghurt - What went wrong?

julie.pink

I thought It was going to be really easy (how wrong I was) to make HM yoghurt using the Easiyo flask and not the packets (too expensive) - I have been so impressed by all the threads on here and by(successful:T) people making their own with UHT, milk powder and starter yoghurt, but sadly I have attempted it twice now and both times the yoghurt looks a curdled mess - believe me you would not want to eat it:eek:

1st attempt, I used Lidl's UHT semi skimmed milk, two tablespoon's of starter- Lidl's bio yoghurt and 2Tbs milk powder, mixed contents in easiyo pot and then followed instructions as for using easiyo, by placing boiling water to cover baffle - I then left this over night, it was really curdled almost cottage cheese like.
2nd attempt, using UHT milk, two tablespoons of easiyo yoghurt I had bought and made for this purpose, four tablespoons of milk powder this time and a little sugar. This time I warmed the milk slightly and mixed all together and then left in easiyo for 6 1/2 hours. This was curdled but not as bad as first attempt but still not eatable:mad:

Please if you have any advice I would appreciate it greatly, as we eat lots of yoghurt and like all of you I am trying to be OS, well DH wage has dropped drastically lately and we are desperate to try and save as much as we can, where ever we can, and also I can't afford to keep making mistakes.

And besides I don't like being beaten, especially by a yoghurt:rolleyes: Please all you experts out there - what am I doing wrong?

nik0510

hi, I have had 2 failures using the easiyo using uht milk, sskimmed milk powder and smidge of sugar, put it down to the heat, gave my easiyo a super good wash, got a new batch of starter yogurt and it was fine again, only usually leave it for 5/12 to 6 hours though, hope someone else comes along to help, sorry but have had 2 glasses of wine, hope this makes sense. best of luck
nik0510

ariba10

We buy a live yoghurt ( Read the carton details to make sure it contains LIVE CULTURES.) and freeze it in an ice cube tray.

Use Aldi carton skimmed milk and one cup of skimmed milk powder, add one or two of the frozen yogurt cubes. (Depending on their size) Shake or stir until the cube has dissolved and carry on as normal.

We have used this method for the last 12 months with no problems.

We keep the frozen cubes in a container in the freezer.

julie.pink

ariba10 wrote: »

We buy a live yoghurt ( Read the carton details to make sure it contains LIVE CULTURES.) and freeze it in an ice cube tray.

Use Aldi carton skimmed milk and one cup of skimmed milk powder, add one or two of the frozen yogurt cubes. (Depending on their size) Shake or stir until the cube has dissolved and carry on as normal.

We have used this method for the last 12 months with no problems.

We keep the frozen cubes in a container in the freezer.

Thanks for the reply:D, which make of yoghurt do you buy? and does your yoghurt ever looked curdled? Sorry to ask so many questions but do you add sugar or any kind of flavouring to your yogurt.



niko510, thanks for your advice also, enjoy the wine, and yes you do make sense, my problem and wine is I usualy go and bid for things on ebay in my alcoholic state and usually regret it the next day when I have maybe another lock and lock (or something totaly useless) to add to my collection of almost 100:eek: my family think I have an obsession with the stuff - at least with your glass of wine you are being constructive and giving good advice - stay clear of ebay;)

I will try again tomorrow with the yoghurt, fingers crossed, and thanks again.

ariba10

We buy the largest pot we can get. Have bought it from Tesco and Morrison's.

The thing to remember is that it must be live plain yogurt. Make sure you read the small print to see that it contains Live Cultures, some say live yogurt on the front but do not contain live cultures.

saving-grace

julie.pink wrote: »

which make of yoghurt do you buy?

I've never made yoghurt in an Easy-yo, I just use a flask, but Yeo Valley is a good yoghurt to buy as a starter. Lots of people on here have said that they use it and its the one I always use, with good results.
Good luck, hope it works next time!

julie.pink

Thanks saving-grace, I had heard this yoghurt mentioned a few times, looked in Morrisons yesterday and the health food shop on friday but could not find it will try and make a trip to tesco's today:D best just take a couple of pounds with me, or who know's what could happen - me and offers, will power - I don't have any:o

troll35

I use the Yeo Valley yoghurt too. I sterilise my large metal flask. I only use 1/2 litre cartons of morrisons UHT milk as there is only me that eats yoghurt. I warm it up in the microwave than mix it with a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt before I go to bed, and then leave it in my metal flask overnight. In the morning I pour it into a tupperware container, give it a swift mix as the yoghurt at the top of the flask tends to be all bubbly and it breaks up any lumpier thicker bits. Then I put it in the fridge to complete the thickening process.
Did you mix the 'curdled' yoghurt to get a uniform consistency?
The only problem I have had has been when I have not been able to get the Yeo Valley yoghurt and I've used an alternative (can't remember which one)

Luna69

Hi
I use the yeo valley yogurt too, at first I had relative success with the yogurt in my easyo flask.. i do like the easiyo yogurts but they are expensive. I used 2 tablespoons of yogurt, 2 tablespoons of dry milk and just under a litre of semi skimmed uht milk.. room temperature. As I said first one wasn't so good, but then they seemed to be okay and tasted lovely. Then the last few I've made went downhill a bit. I tried freezing the yogurt as I'd read on here but when I've made it with the frozen cubes the yogurt hasn't worked, it has curdled a bit too and been very runny. I went back to using the yogurt fresh and it still wasn't as good, not sure what I've done wrong .. so I haven't made any for a while now.
People seem to make it slightly differently, some warm the milk, some don't. I tried using more powdered milk as I like it slightly thicker, but didnt' make much difference.
I'll keep checking this thread.

Yvonne

julie.pink

Thanks for the advice Troll35, I did try and mix the lumps in but it still looked lumpy, it smelt really nice, like real yoghurt:cool: I was impressed but just didn't want to eat it.

I made some naan bread last night and used some of the yoghurt in the recipe:eek: they came out fine and there was no comment from the family, I didn't tell them I had used that yoghurt though - Oh crikey! you don't think I could have poisoned them.

To Yvonne good luck, keep trying it is so disappointing when things don't turn out - I feel a yoghurt failure:o

I didn't manage to find yeo valley yesterday but will keep trying, my DS1 was in Whitby yesterday and there is a Julian Graves there, so he very kindly brought me 4 packs of easiyo back (I know I give in so easily) - no doubt I will pay for his generosity out of his reduced board money:rolleyes:

nodwah

like others, I use yeo valley starter and when I make a good batch I freeze some of my own to re use as more starter. The thickness of my yog does vary from batch to batch but I almost always strain it nowadays thru a muslin cloth in a seive into a bowl and use the juice (soor dook we call it ) to make pancakes. _ All thanks to OS'rs advice on here BTW!

I just want to add my current fav thing is yog + date syrup from middle eastern shops and flaked almonds- gorgeous