How do you make yogurt?

Question

When I try, I add 2 tablespoons to a pint of cows milk that's been taken to 80 degrees c and cooled down to under 30. After a couple of days its like white lumps in an almost clear liquid .. what is that about?

Answer 1

Your temperatures sound alright although you need to be sure that the milk has formed a 'velvety' layer on top (which you need to remove) - normally, when you get lumpy yogurt is either because your milk was still too hot or because it was left out of the fridge too long or because you put too much yogurt-culture. Also be aware of the temperature in your kitchen: in the summer, for instance, yogurt takes less time than it does during the winter. For 1 litre of milk I only add 3 tbspoons of good quality plain yogurt: I use a jar, one of those which have a ring around the lid. I close hermetically and then cover with some tea towels, I leave it away from the draught for a couple of hours (it has to cool down v. slowly). Then I remove any liquid it may have formed and put it in the fridge. You don't need anything else.

Answer 2

Well, you've got your temperatures about right.

Make sure you don't put in cold yoghurt, as that will cool down the milk too fast for it to work.

Putting the mix in a drafty place will also cool it down too fast.

The under 30C temperature needs to be fairly constant for a few hours.

Add a few teaspoons of the heated milk to the yoghurt and mix in well. Continue doing this until the yoghurt comes up to almost the same temperature as the cooled down milk.

Then add the yoghurt to the milk and mix thoroughly. A friend uses an egg whisk at this stage - her yoghurt comes out perfect.

The other thing is keeping the temperature constant until it sets. Put the container in a warm place, like on top of the fridge, and cover well with several thick tea towels, or a tea cosy, or both.

My yoghurt expert friend makes it up in a wide-mouth thermos flask, closes it and leaves it aside for a few hours.

There should be very minimal whey liquid, and it shouldn't be lumpy or grainy.

Answer 3

Making yoghurt is so simple. Just add some yoghurt in milk in room temperature and wait for like a day or two again in room temperature. But make sure the stuff you put the milk in recevives no light. You can wrap it with some towels.

Answer 4

A freeze dried bacteria is apparently more reliable to use, but make sure the yogurt you used has 'active ingredients'.

Ive also seen that there is always a clear liquid in homemade yogurt (not too much though) - you can pour it off before putting in the fridge.

This links gives good instructions and has pictures too!

Answer 5

Banana-Strawberry Frozen Yogurt:

2 ripe bananas
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Pour into freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon into freezer-safe container; cover and freeze.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Answer 6

I bought a yoghourt maker from Lakeland Plastics. It makes a litre overnight. I use cartons of long-life milk - no sterilising - pour it in the 1 tablespoon of starter yoghourt and leave it. It works every time. I make it with full cream milk because that is a rich, smooth consistency.

Answer 7

hi,

Once you have added the yoghurt extract (here, you should rather use a hard kind of yoghurt, such as Danone natural)
it is especially important that the liquid is not subject to vibrations if you want it to harden.

So, do not put in on top of a fridge or close to a washing machine or tumble dryer.

Answer 8

My mum had a yoghurt making kit. I think you just heat the milk and then add old yoghurt as a culture and stick it in the fridge. Have to admit it was much nicer than shop bought yoghurt. Really creamy, yum!

Answer 9

yuo should use a well made another yogurt as the ferment.we do it in turkiye in this way.it must be added after the milk boiled and be warm

Answer 10

u did the right thing just u have to put the pot in dry and little hot condition like in ur kitchen's cabinet for about 24 hours.