EasiYo maker - do you have to use the packet mixes?

PipneyJane

Hi Everyone


Instead of using the powdered mixes, has anyone here used an EasiYo maker to make yoghurt in the old fashioned way, using fresh/powdered milk and a dollop of fresh yoghurt as a starter?


Lakeland's latest email landed in my inbox earlier with an interesting offer: buy a 1kg EasiYo yoghurt maker for £1 when you purchase a box of their 1kg yoghurt mixes. Each box contains 5 packets, each of which would make up 1kg of yoghurt and the cheapest costs £11.89 (or £2.38 per kg). Looking at the costs, for me, the sachets aren't worth it - I can get the equivalent volume of fresh Yeo Valley yoghurt for £2. However, if I can use the yoghurt maker to make yoghurt from "normal" ingredients, it's a completely different ball game.


All advice/comments/horror stories appreciated.


Many thanks,


Pam

Silvertabby

I was given an EasiYo yoghurt maker as a present, but it's long gone the way of all 'useless gadgets'.

You mixed a packet of the powder mix with X amount of water in the 'inner' container, which was then placed in hot water in the 'outer' container. Feel free to correct me, but I can't see how these containers could make yoghurt by any other method.

Large tubs of fresh natural yoghurt work out cheaper and are much nicer.

C_J

I have an EasiYo and I use it to make my own yogurt without the packet mixes. I warm the milk first, add a tablespoon of powdered milk and a dollop of live yogurt, mix well, put in the EasiYo and pour boiling water around it then leave overnight. I have sometimes had to drain the water in the morning and add another kettle of boiling water then leave it for another four or so hours if I want thicker yogurt, but it definitely works using this method.

C_J

To be honest though, a wide necked thermos flask would do the job just as well if not better

FLA27

I was given an EasiYo Yogurt Maker as a birthday gift. I now use it every week to make either kefir or yogurt from live yogurt similar to CJ's method above.

It is pretty much a large flask.

I am sure there some other related threads on here somewhere that might help.

Frith

I use a heaped spoonful of dried, powdered milk, shaken in UHT milk. Dollop of natural Greek yoghurt. Leave in easyo overnight.

purpleivy

I use the Instant Pot to make yogurt with now and wouldn't do it any other way. Instant pots are reasonably priced when you find an offer and extremely versatile in their use.

I had an easyyo pot and didn't find it that brilliant even with the special very expensive sachets.

PipneyJane

Thanks everyone for your responses. To be honest, now that the "It's a bargain" lust has worn off, I think I'll try the wide-mouthed-flask trick and ignore the EasiYo.

Ilona

I make yogurt in a slow cooker, warm milk and a pot of real yogurt.

Ilona

Nargleblast

I use a pot of plain yoghurt, a little dried milk, and a litre of UHT milk - with UHT milk you don't have to heat it up first. I have a yoghurt maker set (enclosed container, seven glass jars, divide ingredients between jars then switch on and leave for seven hours or overnight, let jars cool then put in fridge). I see no reason why you shouldn't use your Easyyo thing now you've got it, after all it is just a version of a thermos flask. I agree the sachets are a rip off.

Nodette

We have an EasiYo yoghurt maker and we use the packets - but not quite in the way EasiYo intended.

We half-fill the EasiYo pot with UHT milk and add roughly a tablespoon of the packet mix. We mix it in and then top up with the rest of the UHT milk. It always 'yogs' but we put it in the insulated container at about lunchtime to have it ready by next morning. If you use less powder, then it takes longer. If you use more powder, it's quicker.

Then when you have only dregs left in the pot, add more UHT milk to it and pop it in the insulated container as before. Sometimes we can refill it 3 or 4 times before it gets too sour-tasting for us.

When my MIL died at the beginning of the year, we inherited her EasiYo packet mixes. We had quite a few of our own as well. It takes AGES to use up the whole packet when you do it this way.

Eventually, when we run out of packets, we will use UHT milk and some live yoghurt from the shop.