Making yogurt with fresh milk

Seakay

Thanks, I'll check out the nearest Co-Op. I came to Cardiff as a student 1981-84 and never left!

otterspasm

We were there at the same time then! I arrived 1984. I was a student at the Heath. I used to go to the Uni student's union on sat nights quite often...lived just around the corner so could stagger home easily!

Seakay

Probably missed each other as students as my finals in the summer, but I still went to the union for a bit so we may well have staggered past each other in the Morg or the Dyfed!

thriftlady_2

thriftlady wrote: »

For years I've been making yogurt in my electric yogurt maker using UHT milk and dried milk powder. I've had excellent results -thick and smooth yogurt exactly like shop-bought.

However, I'm unhappy about using milk that has been processed (ultra heat treatment and drying). I really want it to be as whole and as natural as possible. So, I'm using whole, fresh, unhomogenised milk from a local dairy (another reason to stop using UHT).

I bring the milk to almost boiling, then allow to cool till I can stick a finger in comfortably. Then I whisk some of the milk into 2 tablespoons of Yeo Valley live yogurt, pour in the rest of the milk and yog in my machine for about 8 hours.

The result is a delicious tasting creamy yogurt BUT it isn't smooth. It looks curdled-a bit like baby sick TBH. I've strained it and it still seems lumpy.

My question is- is this how it is supposed to be, and should I just stop worrying and enjoy it as it tastes delicious ? Or, am I doing something wrong, and is there a way to get smooth yogurt ?

I think I've cracked it. I decided that since I don't scald the UHT (because it has already been heated enough) and therefore use it straight from the cupboard at room temp I'd try the same with fresh milk. So, I scalded it then left it to cool to room temp and poured it in the yogurt maker with the starter. I left it overnight and it was perfect in the morning.

I think the yogurt maker makes it too hot if you use already hot milk. Obviously if you are using other methods to incubate your yogurt then you'll need it to be the right temperature to start with.

sparkymummy

Without checking out this board first I have just made a batch of Yogurt in a thermos but instead of scalding the milk first (its fresh FF milk) I just raised it to blood heat as I read in recipe book. I'm now worried it'll be bad... will I be able to tell if the wrong bacteria have grown in it...will it make us ill do you think if we eat it?