Making Yogurt

MrsStepford

For months, we have been enjoying Pure Nature Organic Live Natural Belgian Whole Milk Yogurt 150g from Milk & More.There was an offer, 4 for £3 which saved 1.48. I bought the offer three times a week. We loved the yogurt which is thick and creamy. Discovered yesterday that the offer is no more. That means we would have to pay over £13 per week. 

We have an electric yogurt maker which we haven't used so I'm wondering what I need to buy e.g. organic live yogurt, organic unhomogenized milk, organic sour cream or crème fraîche ??

Any advice would be fantastic ! 

Farway

I used to make it with electric yoghurt maker, very easy

I was not organic though, but no reason organic would not work of course.

The requirement is to sterilise the milk, of whatever type, first. To ensure you only get the bacteria you want to grow & nothing else has crept in, 

I used to use UHT full fat because it is already sterile and saved me a job.

Any live yoghurt will do as a starter, or you can buy stater blends, just search, there are lots of choices

To get the thick consistency will require straining, it does come out thick but not as thick as say Greek style

2childmum2

I make yogurt in my bread maker. I use full fat uht milk, which makes it thicker than semi or skimmed milk, and it doesn't need scalding first. I then use some of my old batch to make the new, but started with a small pot of Yeo valley. I measure out the correct amount of yogurt to start the next batch into a separate pot.
I sterilise jars by pouring a kettle full of boiling water over them and any utensils I might need. I think some people might be a bit more scrupulous about that bit but I've never had a problem. It keeps for at least a fortnight in the fridge ( although rarely lasts that long!)

Frith

You've reminded me to make a batch.

I've got an Easyo (just a glorified flask).

I do 1 tbsp of dried milk powder, 1 tbsp of yoghurt and either scalded cooled milk or UHT from the carton. 

Leave overnight. 

Rosa_Damascena

2childmum2 said:

I make yogurt in my bread maker. I use full fat uht milk, which makes it thicker than semi or skimmed milk, and it doesn't need scalding first. I then use some of my old batch to make the new, but started with a small pot of Yeo valley. I measure out the correct amount of yogurt to start the next batch into a separate pot.
I sterilise jars by pouring a kettle full of boiling water over them and any utensils I might need. I think some people might be a bit more scrupulous about that bit but I've never had a problem. It keeps for at least a fortnight in the fridge ( although rarely lasts that long!)

Intriguing!

My mum has made it for decades, she uses pyrex.

2childmum2

The bread maker has a yoghurt setting, which is very helpful. I just need to make sure I don't need yoghurt and bread on the same day!

tooldle

I have a Lakeland yogurt maker and make a batch every week. For years I used fresh milk, raising it to boiling point and cooling before adding my starter yougurt (usually from my previous batch). I switched to uht a couple of months back as it doesn’t require heating. I always add a couple of spoons of powdered milk to the mix. The resulting yogurt is very thick.

MrsStepford

Reading out the posts to husband and he is moving towards carrying on with the yogurt from Milk & More. We tried Yeo Valley individual pots and didn't like them. He's picking up a multipack of ASDA Greek Style yogurts tomorrow. Moo has stopped doing long life organic milk now. IDK if Yeo Valley does long life. We buy Arla Lactofree Organic fresh semi-skimmed as it helps his digestion.  I can't tell any difference ! 

Cherryfudge

I make yogurt using the yogurt setting on my Instant Pot and it's always worked. I used to use a basic plain supermarket yogurt as a starter, as the cheapest ones had the live bacteria but I noticed the cartons now no longer say this. I will have to look for a live alternative next time around.

For the milk, I keep a look out for 'posh' milks marked down at the end of the day, but really it doesn't matter. The best results I've had have been with the fortified milks marketed to parents of toddlers. I don't know what it is about these, but they produce a lovely yogurt.

MrsStepford

Husband went to ASDA looking for multipacks of Greek style yogurt. Locusts had been at the yogurt and there wasn't any Greek style or Yeo Valley yogurt to be had. He picked up a multipack of 4 x 115g strawberry yogurts for £6 which contained modified maize starch and aspartame and paid £6. Four Pure Nature organic yogurts (the strawberry ones aren't) were £3 on offer and are now 4.48. Cheaper than mass-produced rubbish ! He has decided to stick with the organic yogurt. It was a useful exercise though and I hope the yogurt-making tips are helpful to others.

Rosa_Damascena

tooldle said:

I have a Lakeland yogurt maker and make a batch every week. For years I used fresh milk, raising it to boiling point and cooling before adding my starter yougurt (usually from my previous batch). I switched to uht a couple of months back as it doesn’t require heating. I always add a couple of spoons of powdered milk to the mix. The resulting yogurt is very thick.

That's exactly what Mum does, I don't see where the yoghurt maker comes into it though?