easiyo yogurt maker any good? or make your own? (merged)

rach

i think from reading the leaflet that if you want a milder yoghurt leave it for 6 hours rather than too much longer

i've now got used to the taste, sometimes i stir in some low sugar strawberry jam or a few blueberries

organic_wanabe

Last night I took the plunge and made my Easiyo yoghurt using a couple of tablespoons of my last batch (made from a sachet), I added 3 tablespoons of marvel and a litre of Moo organic semi-skimmed milk. I've just tried it, after a couple of hours in the fridge, and it is absolutely delicious - even better than the Easiyo sachets (though I've only tried the Organic and Greek). So thanks to all who posted on how to best do it this way.

Now, does anyone know where I can get an organic dried milk powder similar to Marvel?

jennyjelly

Does anyone know if it's possible to make Yakult type stuff?

I'm sure the principle will be the same as for yoghurt, but I wonder if the health benefits will still be there.

MimiJane

jennyjelly wrote:

Does anyone know if it's possible to make Yakult type stuff?

I'm sure the principle will be the same as for yoghurt, but I wonder if the health benefits will still be there.

You'll need to get hold of some probiotics to get the added health benefits ... ask advice at your local health shop.

lil_me

Just had my first taste of Easiyo today, and I am impressed (as soon as I realised was a Julian Graves in town I went and got one) It was however a tad sharp tasting but I did leave it about 11 hours by accident! My eyes nearly popped out when I first tried it as was so sharp but used a small sprinkle of sugar, I will have a look for that sweetner.

I was however shocked at the packet prices, I have looked at yoghurt direct but would rather make my own with UHT/powder etc if possible.

So I'll need to buy a pro biotic/live yoghurt (one I have made in Easiyo is berries one so need to get some plain) and then follow the recipe.

With the UHT milk, is that skimmed UHT ?

Angelina-M

MimiJane wrote:

You'll need to get hold of some probiotics to get the added health benefits ... ask advice at your local health shop.

I dont understand? do you need to buy something else then, i've just been using a probiotic for my starter and assuming thats all I need?

lil_me

Pro Biotics
While pro-biotics are highly beneficial in re-establishing gut flora, two important details must be considered:

It is of no use to take pro-biotics while you’re being treated with antibiotics for Clostridium Difficile. Any “friendly bacteria” will be killed off immediately by the antibiotics treating the C-Diff and will not get a chance to establish themselves. Wait until you have completed your course of antibiotics.
There is considerable debate in medical circles about how much bacteria is actually “live” in commercial pro-biotic products. There is concern that not many live bacteria get through the concentrated acid in the stomach. There is also debate about which strain of good bacteria is most beneficial. Pro-biotics are therefore a can of worms with large commercial interests at stake. Very few products have been medically tested and approved (with the exception of VSL3 from Sigma Tau Pharmaceuticals which at this point (Jan 2007) is not distributed in the UK. However this is going to change in the next few months
Therefore the best current advice is to make your own live yoghurt using anelectric yoghurt maker with full cream UHT milk and a “live” starter such as “Total” yoghurt, or another brand of live yoghurt, and leave it to ferment for a full 24 hours. This gives a finished yoghurt that tastes great, has a bacterial yield in the trillions that you know are live, has not been through a long supply chain where the bacteria may have started to die, and the lactose in the milk has been broken down making it easier to digest. It is not a good idea to use the Easy-Yo Yoghurt Maker for pro-biotic yoghurt as it is not heated and therefore unsuitable for a 24-hour fermentation process.

Found that, might help

Angelina-M

Hmmm where did you find that? I'm just interested as I have the easiyo system that it says it doesnt recommend.

It must be wrong as whilst the easiyo isnt electrically heated, it does make the bacteria multiply or the milk wouldnt thicken?

organic_wanabe

lil-me, I used semi-skimmed but you can use skimmed or full-fat if you want, it is entirely down to your own taste. With the sachets I used about a tablespoon of sugar for the litre, but when I made it with a bit of the yoghurt and the milk powder and UHT it was a much sweeter end product. I've still got a number of sachets left, so I'll make it with the made yoghurt until it get less successful and then start a new batch from a sachet. When the sachets are finished I'll just buy a Yeo Valley natural (about 50p) and start over from that.

lil_me

http://www.cdiff-support.co.uk/tips.htm

I think what's pointed out is it needs to be heated for 24 hours to make pro-biotic in that way, which an Easiyo wouldn't, mine was pretty cool after 12 hours when I made it.

Thanks for the info Organic Wanabe, much appreciated.