# Making Yoghurt



## Darkstream (Dec 3, 2004)

It is posted here because yoghurt is so frequently used in Indian and Middle Eastern
dishes that this is really the proper location for it.

For those of you who have “Yoghurt Making Machines”, you probably already know
how to do it.

For those without, you do not need any machine at all, because the only thing they do
is keep the mix at the right temperature, about 95 to 125 degrees F. You do not need a
machine to do this.

You can make different kinds of yoghurt if you make it yourself. Whole milk, semi,
or skim milk yoghurt, thin, creamy, or thick, mild or sour.

Whole milk is naturally creamy and mild, the others less so. How sour/sharp it is is a
combination of the temperature you mature it at and the length of time. I used to think
that supermarket yoghurt was for wimps, because it had no bite. But NOW I have to
substitute yoghurt and other similar materials for cream and whole milk, I can see it
has a place, of sorts. So, these are the rules:

Whole milk makes a pleasantly creamy yoghurt, semi and skimmed less so.

The lower the temperature, and the shorter the time it is matured for, the less sharp it
will be. And the less thick.

If you want THICK yoghurt (Greek or twice as thick as Greek) then add dried milk,
either whole or skimmed. You can make it so thick a spoon will stand up in it
BEFORE draining through muslin. If you can afford it, you can use any dried milk. If
you need SKIMMED milk, then check on the tin label that that is ALL that is in the
“dried skimmed milk”. Lots of companies market dried skimmed milk which has the
milk FAT removed and REPLACED by vegetable fat. What you want is the milk
solids.

Maturing solutions:

1. Either pour the finished yoghurt into a sealable plastic container, seal it, wrap it in
a towel and leave it in a gas oven with a pilot light for  at least three hours or
overnight, OR

2.Pour it into a thermos jar that has been preheated with some boiling water (poured
out), seal it, wrap it in a towel and leave it in the kitchen as above.

Now the easy bit.

1. Buy a small pot of the freshest (plain) youghurt (of your choice) at your local.

2. Use the freshest milk (this keeps unwanted bacteria out.). Measure 1/2 pint, put it
in a pan and start to boil. If you want thick, add between 2 to 8 or more tablespoons of
dried skimmed milk  Make sure the dried milk has completly disolved, bring through
simmer slowly to the boil stiring all the time to ensure the milk/dried milk does not
burn on the bottom of the pan and remove from the heat (DO NOT BOIL).

3. Place the pan in a large bowl of cold water and start to stir to cool it. Peiodically
test the temperature of the milk by dipping your little finger into it. When you can
JUST stand to count ten slowly before yanking it out, it is ready.

4. Open your fresh jar of bought yoghurt, put 4 teaspoons of the yoghurt and a LITTLE hot milk
together to mix to a cream (this is your starter). Pour the cream starter into the receptacle, mix in the hot
milk and seal, wrap and leave it warm.


Wait a minimum of 3 hours (it should have set by then) or overnight.

COMMON PROBLEMS

1. The yoghurt worked but it is thin and watery. Mix was too cool (or too hot and
killed the bacteria). Or not enough dried milk. Make a chicken Korma and try again.

2. Nothing happened. Most likely far too hot. Or the starter was not fresh.

3. It worked but has a stranges smell/texture. Foreign bacteria. Try again. Probably
best to chuck it.

4. I cannot get it out of the thermos flask. Congratulations, you got it right. Use a soda
spoon and scrape.

5. It is too thick/ too sour/ etc. Alter heat. maturing time, amount of dried milk
addative.


MOST IMPORTANT!!!!!

1. Take a small glass jar and sterilize with  boiling water. Put 2-3 tablespoons of the
NEW yoghurt into it and two to three times that volume of freshest milk. Seal and
shake, and keep in  your refrigerator. This is your STARTER for the next batch. By
the time you have made 4 or 5 batches, your yoghurt will taste 10 times better than
ANY you have ever bought, and it will be costing you 10% of what it was before.

This recipe is generic. You will have to play with the materials you have at hand, that
is why there are no precise quantities. It should work sooner or later.

Good sailing.


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## debthecook (Dec 6, 2004)

:roll:

http://www.dannon.com/

Usually around .79c for 8oz container at your local supermarket.


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## Darkstream (Dec 10, 2004)

Deb, I do not understand your comment. In my locality yoghurt costs 4 times the price
of milk. All you need to do is warm the milk up, add the starter, and in three to six
hours you have the same quantity of yoghurt that you had of milk, only at 25% of the
price. It takes virtually NO EFFORT AT ALL. The little microbes do all the work for
you.

Plus you can control the texture and the taste.

Makes sense to me.


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## choclatechef (Dec 10, 2004)

So true Darkstream.  I used to make it in a 2 quart thermos jug.  

Then I would drain the whey and create --- yogurt cream cheese.  Loads of fun, and cheap!!!!


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## Alix (Dec 10, 2004)

How do you flavour it? Do you just toss in fresh fruit or do you make a syrup?


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## choclatechef (Dec 10, 2004)

Do whatever turns you on Alix.  It is your homemade yogurt.


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## buckytom (Dec 10, 2004)

can ronjohn and i have beer flavored yogurt?


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## mudbug (Dec 10, 2004)

lol, bucky.  I want merlot yogurt.


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## Alix (Dec 10, 2004)

choclatechef said:
			
		

> Do whatever turns you on Alix.  It is your homemade yogurt.



Heeheeheehee!!! I have to keep editing myself so I am shutting up now.


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## Darkstream (Dec 10, 2004)

OK

Flavouring the yoghurt: Suggestions.

Sweet

Honey (Greek) and chopped walnuts/pistachios. A classic with 2500 years behind it.

Chopped/pureed fresh fruit. Just make sure it is RIPE and fresh (if you can actually
find fruit like that). No need to add sugar then.

In winter (trad) a GOOD fruit conserve (not third rate jam with no fruit in it).

Preserved/dried fruit. Another 2500 years of history.

Pureeed/chopped vegetables. Tzatzaki is the classic.


NOTA BENE: for fruity and sweet, you need to make the yoghurt creamy/sweet: ie
not too sharp. You will learn how to do this (less maturing time/starter) as you gain
experience and confidence.

As to making it. Just follow the instructions. I have allready covered the most likely
problems, BUT if any of you are trying to make it and having dificulties, then post
here. Just make sure that the starter you buy is LIVE yoghurt. In my locality it is
illegal to sell yoghurt that is not live. This may not be the same where you are.

Deb. It will work. You may have some difficulties for any number of reasons. Do you make cheese? But this works ultimately by simple biological progression. It will allways work to some extent, you just have to learn how to control it.

Choc Chef was right too. This is the basis of labnan and many other simple middle eastern cheeses. But I am not doing cheese here, just yoghurt.


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## debthecook (Dec 10, 2004)

Where is your locality Darkstream?
I found your original post convoluting.
I have made yogurt from the machine. Live and Active Yogurt is not a problem to find, its written on the yogurt container.
I won't try your recipe, but thanks for the further explanations, I respect that.


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## Audeo (Dec 11, 2004)

Thank you, Darkstream.  I am sincerely a devoted fan of yours!


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## Darkstream (Dec 11, 2004)

" Where is your locality Darkstream? "

Treasure Island







Hello Audeo, I thought you were taking the next two months off dead for tax reasons.


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## Audeo (Dec 11, 2004)

I just know there is a joke/pun in there somewhere, Darkstream!  It's only weekends for me nowadays, and I even heartily declined a holiday party to pop in this evening with the first scotch I've been able to have in a couple of weeks!!!

And since your photo is being contrary, please further define "Treasure Island"!  I'm guessing Malta over Las Vegas....

Very best wishes for a wonderful holiday season to you and yours!


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## Darkstream (Dec 12, 2004)

1. When Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent reach the Restaurant at the End of the
Universe, they find Hotblack DeSoto, leader of the loudest, most planet destroying
heavy metal band in the Universe slumped in a chair instead of trashing the place.
Arthur remarks that “he does’nt appear to be moving much”, to which Ford replies
“He’s probably taking a year off dead for tax reasons”.

December is the end of the US fiscal year, so it was a joke about you leaving the
community at this time. I was surprised to see you back. 

The above is obviously a beneficient tax regime, since in any other tax system I know of being dead means you pay SUBSTANTIALLY more tax than if you were alive. Live long and save tax dollars!


For further details see The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy, and The Resaurant at the
End of the Universe by Douglas Adams.

2. Which photo are you talking about? You mean the image under Treasure Island?
It shows up in my browser. Or do you mean the one I sent you (I see you are using
your old avatar)?

3. This place is known as Treasure Island in trade. That and the image are all the
clues you need.

Seasons greetings to you too.


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## Audeo (Dec 12, 2004)

Aha!  Thank you for the enlightenment, Darkstream!  And ROFL regarding estate taxes!

I am referring to the picture below "Treasure Island."  Your browser may see it, but mine does not.  Perhaps it's the firewall or something at my end.  So, alas, I haven't the second clue....!

As far as my avatar goes...  Have you ever been soundly lectured by your child?  Well, I certainly was yesterday on the merits and dangers of placing my photo on the internet.  I tried (in what was almost a complete role reversal) to argue the perceived safety here, but to no avail.  I was strongly requested to remove it.  And so I have.  And I felt about twelve years old when I quickly relented to the logic....

Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  I've never read it, but have little doubt that my husband has.  I have read the Foundation Trilogy by Asimov at least three times and I'm assuming this would be similar, albeit more modern.  I shall find it to have when things settle down a bit.


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## choclatechef (Dec 13, 2004)

Ok.  I have made yogurt many many times, so I understood what was intended. Let me break it down a little.

If you do not have a yogurt machine, here is how you make yogurt easily.  I have used a gallon thermos jug, and it works perfectly, situated in a warm place.

Make sure you sterlize the container/thermos jug you choose just before use with boiling water after washing it thoroughly!  This also warms the container/thermos jug as well as destroying bacteria that can cause the yogurt to fail.

You can use whole milk, skim milk, or low fat milk.  The type of milk you chose effects the type of yogurt you get after it is made.

Whole milk yogurt is naturally creamy and mild, the others less so. 
Low fat milk and skimmed milk yogurt is less creamy. 

How sour/sharp it is determined by the temperature you mature it at and the length of time the yogurt is allowed to mature.  The lower the temperature, and the shorter the time it is matured for, the less sharp it will be. And the less thick. 

If you want THICK yoghurt (Greek or twice as thick as Greek) then add dried milk, either whole or skimmed milk to the type of fresh milk you are using.  You can make it so thick a spoon will stand up in it BEFORE draining through muslin [that is how cream yogurt cheese is made]. 


1. Buy a small pot of the freshest (plain) yogurt.
2. Use the freshest milk (this keeps unwanted bacteria out.).  
3. Measure 1/2 pint, put it in a pan and start to boil. If you want thick yogurt, add between 2 to 8 or more tablespoons of dried skimmed milk, you can. 
4. Make sure the dried milk has completley dissolved, bring milk to  
simmer slowly, stirring all the time to ensure the milk/dried milk does not burn on the bottom of the pan and remove from the heat (DO NOT BOIL). 
3. Place the pan in a large bowl of cold water and stir to stir to cool it.  Keep testing the temperature of the milk by dipping your little finger into it.  When you can JUST stand to count ten slowly before yanking it out, it is ready. 
4. Open your fresh jar of bought yogurt, put 4 teaspoons of the yogurt and a LITTLE warm milk together to mix to a cream (this is your starter). Pour the cream starter into the thermos, mix in the hot milk and seal, and leave it in a warm place. 


Wait a minimum of 3 hours (it should have set by then) or overnight [overnight is best]. 



COMMON PROBLEMS 

1. The yogurt worked but it is thin and watery. Mix was too cool (or too hot and killed the bacteria). Or, you did not add enough dried milk. Make a chicken Korma with the thin yogurt and try again. 

2. Nothing happened. Most likely the mix was far too hot. Or the starter yogurt was not fresh. 

3. It worked but has a stranges smell/texture. Foreign bacteria. Try again. Probably best to chuck it. 

4. I cannot get it out of the thermos flask. Congratulations, you got it right. Use a spatula and scrape. 

5. It is too thick/ too sour/ etc. Alter heat. maturing time, amount of dried milk additive. 


MOST IMPORTANT!!!!! 

1. Take a small glass jar and sterilize with boiling water. Put 2-3 tablespoons of the NEW yoghurt into it and two to three times that volume of freshest milk. Seal and shake, and keep in your refrigerator. This is your STARTER for the next batch. 

By the time you have made 4 or 5 batches, your yoghurt will taste 10 times better than ANY you have ever bought, and it will be costing you 10% of what it was before. 

This recipe is generic. You will have to play with the materials you have at hand, that is why there are no precise quantities. It should work sooner or later. 


Now Deb, is this better?


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