# Yogurt problem



## miatchgurl (Jan 17, 2007)

i made yogurt and i think it was only at the right temp for only an hour, since i made it before i slept. After that i think the temp was around 28C

now i don't know if its good or not..


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## boufa06 (Jan 18, 2007)

miatchgurl, you can tell whether your yoghurt is done or not by examining its consistency.  If you judge the consistency to be similar to that of what you consider 'good' yoghurt, then it is. On the other hand, if it is liquidy, then the yoghurt bacteria did not have sufficient time to work.  In such a case, you can try bringing the 'underdone' yoghurt back to proper temperature for the required time so that the yoghurt bacteria can resume and finish their work.  The yoghurt bacteria you introduced originally are still alive in your yoghurt although dormant.  Restoring the proper temperature will get them going again.  As bacteria go, yoghurt bacteria are quite strong and therefore not likely to be overwhelmed by other bacteria that may have established themselves in your yoghurt after you took it out from the yoghurt maker.


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## miatchgurl (Jan 18, 2007)

really? thanks!!! your great!!!!

i got scared of eating it thinking it might be just spoiled milk and not yogurt. hehe

about the watery liquid that's forming on top, should i just scoop it out?


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## Aria (Jan 18, 2007)

boufao6,I enjoyed reading your message on yoghurt.  Would you share your recipe for yoghurt.   Haven't made it in a long while.  Think I would like to start making my own (if it is not too time consuming).  Thanks


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## boufa06 (Jan 19, 2007)

miatchgurl said:
			
		

> really? thanks!!! your great!!!!
> 
> i got scared of eating it thinking it might be just spoiled milk and not yogurt. hehe
> 
> about the watery liquid that's forming on top, should i just scoop it out?


 I am glad I was of some help.  As for the watery liquid, you can scoop it out.  However, it would be better to work in such a way as to avoid the formation of water on top.  The water forms in the first place because the milk you are using does not have a high enough fat content.  Here is what you can do: If you are not too worried about fat content, mix some half and half with your milk.  BTW, are you using non-fat or low-fat milk to make yoghurt?  If yes, the yoghurt you get will be of very liquidy consistency.

If you are concerned with the fat content of your yoghurt, you can still get better results by thickening the milk you are using first with non-fat or low-fat thickening substances.  Two kinds come to mind.  The first is powdered milk.  It could be of any or as low fat content as you like.  The other is powdered cheese whey, which is by nature fat free.  Whatever thickener you use, you must dissolve it in the milk at the start.  Usually this is a rather difficult step because these thickeners want to form lumps which then become difficult to dissolve completely.  Warm your milk first for better results, stir in the powder in small amounts while stirring, and strain the mixture to catch any lumps which you can force through the strainer  with a spoon.

After this, you bring your thickened milk to a boil as usual and proceed with yoghurt making as you already know.  

I would avoid the use of gelatine or similar thickening agents.  They give a different texture to yoghurt and might even interfere with the fermentation process during yoghurt making.

Good luck!


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## boufa06 (Jan 19, 2007)

Aria said:
			
		

> boufao6,I enjoyed reading your message on yoghurt.  Would you share your recipe for yoghurt.   Haven't made it in a long while.  Think I would like to start making my own (if it is not too time consuming).  Thanks


 Aria, in order to make yoghurt, you need to keep the mixture of milk plus starter at a temperature that is higher than room temperature for several hours.  For this reason, a yoghurt maker of one kind or another must be used.  The yoghurt maker is simply a container of the proper shape with a heating element to provide heat for the yoghurt making process and a thermostat to stop it from heating beyond the required temperature.  Such makers are usually available at health food stores.  

Once you buy the equipment, you will definitely find in the box a booklet that explains its use and gives direction on how to make yoghurt.  In addition, you can read my last previous post (#5) for some pointers on how to treat your milk before mixing in the starter.

The next thing you need and you can buy from the same place is yoghurt starter.  It usually comes in sealed pouches with just enough starter for one batch of yoghurt. 

After you make your first batch of yoghurt, you can save part of it and use it as a starter for the next batch so that you can cut down on your use of readymade yoghurt starter.  This process can continue for several batches.  Unfortunately, there will come a time that the yoghurt you will make will be of different consistency, sort of grainy with stringlike grains rather than smooth.  This means that it is time to start the new batch with fresh starter and repeat. 

The exact temperature of milk-to-yoghurt fermentation escapes me at the moment but you should be able to find it easily in Google or some yoghurt making instruction book.  Once you know this temperature, it would be easy to make yoghurt in a reasonably warm environment by going through such tricks as using the residual heat of your oven after you bake something, placing your pot near a fireplace or space heater, wrapping the pot where you make yoghurt in a heavy wollen blanket, using a pot made out of an insulating material (eg. clay rather than metal) etc.  This may take some trial and error until you get it right but if you are of an adventurous inclination, you might wish to give it a try.  

Good luck!


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## miatchgurl (Jan 19, 2007)

Thanks so much Boufa! you're such a great help! 

i am using low fat milk, but i already added powdered low fat millk. so i guess i'll just scoop the liquid out. hehe

does  it mean that as long as i added  a starter to my yogurt, the mixture is ok? its not spoiled or bad to eat?

this is my first time to try making yogurt!!! hehe that's ahy i have so much questions!


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## boufa06 (Jan 19, 2007)

miatchgurl said:
			
		

> Thanks so much Boufa! you're such a great help!
> 
> i am using low fat milk, but i already added powdered low fat millk. so i guess i'll just scoop the liquid out. hehe
> 
> ...


 miatchgurl, if you add enough milk powder to your original low fat milk, your yogurt should become thicker and there should be no watery liquid left at the end.

If you boil your milk (after adding the milk powder), let it cool to the recommended temperature (a bit above room temperature), and add your starter, the mixture is safe to eat. However, it is better to let it become yogurt first, don't you think?


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## miatchgurl (Jan 19, 2007)

yeah i think so too!  thanks again!


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