Homemade Yogurt Recipes, Anyone?
 

and by that, I mean, "Does anyone have a yogurt recipe to share?"

I've performed searches and found several excellent threads on the topic and a few kinda/sorta recipes, but I'd like some definite measurements and procedures.

I do not have a yogurt maker, if that makes a difference, but have been eyeing them online. If I need one to do it right I'm willing to place a bid. :p

Thanks in advance, all you wonderful people!

---Amy

Bump ... bump ...

Still wanna make yogurt. H-e-e-e-e-e-elp!

sorry I can't give you proportions. tomorrow I can ask my mom, if you like. It's best if you have a gas range with a pilot light, IMO. basically, you boil some milk, let it cool. add a tablespoon or 2 of existing yogurt and mix it up and leave it in the oven overnight. I don't have a gas range, so my mom told me to heat it to 200 turn it off and put the cooled boiled milk/yogurt mix in there overnight. I've heard of people keeping it near their radiators, or anything else that emits a low but steady supply of heat.
If you need proportions, I'll ask tomorrow. my guess is though, that there's a lot of latitude in them.

You know, I decided to try my hand at it late last night ... after rereading all the information here and elsewhere on the web, I just made a guess and went ahead with it!

I'll let you know how it goes, but for the most part, I figure it's like making creme fraiche, in that it's the reaction of the base to the additive (cream and buttermilk, in that case).

I made a mixture of milk and cream, brought it to a boil and took it down to 110º and added 1 Tbsp. of Stonyfield Farms Organic yogurt (whole milk and 6 live cultures).

We'll see!

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

---Amy

ok, let me know how it turned out

1.5 cups whole milk, 1 tablespoon starter.
rest as I said above.

another idea I read somewhere was to use a heating pad to keep it warm while it transforms.

I did 2 cups whole milk and one cup cream, plus 2 Tbsp. starter.

It worked!

Interestingly, I had put in only 1 T. starter last night and it wasn't very thick this a.m., so I added another T. and about 6 hours later it was good to go.

I drained off the liquid and refrigerated it, and now it's really nice and thick and tastes just like plain yogurt should.

Tomorrow, I'll scoop out a little and add some flavoring to it.

I'm so excited! You'd think I just discovered America.

I felt the same way the first time I made creme fraiche.

---Amy

Before I got on Atkins I made yogurt all the time, using fat free powdered milk. Then recently I learned that Yogurt was not as high carb as I thought so I tried making some with organic whole milk and it is delicious and not so high calorie as flavored sweetened cream cheese, which is also a wonderful desert. Can anyone tell me how many carbs is in whole milk yogurt? Also, what is creme fraiche and how do you make it? Thanks.

I wish I could give you an accurate number on the carb count for the yogurt, but I have to guess.

Being that many people use the instant dry milk method (and that's low fat ... skim!) and determine 4 carbs per cup, I think I can safely estimate about 2.5 carbs per cup for my version, mixing milk and cream.

I assume this because the carb count for milk goes down when the fat content goes up.

The carb count might even be lower with my use of cream, but I like to err on the side of caution.


Creme Fraiche:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. buttermilk

Mix well in a glass jar and set aside for 24 hours covered only in a paper towel or very light dish towel to keep dust from entering it. After 24 hours, put on a lid and refrigerate.

What you get here is a thick cream for thickening sauces, or you may sweeten it and use it as a dessert topping. Personally, I add spices/herbs/garlic/onion or one of a variety of peppers to creme fraiche and use it as a marinade, then bake or broil the meat and cook the marinade and use it as a sauce for spinach, broccoli or cauliflower. Even green beens and asparagus.

The carb count on this recipe of creme fraiche is difficult to determine also because of the active culture in the buttermilk eating the cream sugar to react. When you start, the carb count is about 9, including the buttermilk, but I'd half that for the finished product.

ok, i tried this with carb countown milk. brought the milk to boil. turn off heat, add some plain yogurt to start, left the pan in a pan of warm water and covered it for about 10 hours. when i checked it all i had was milk and a couple lumps of yogurt in the bottom of the pan. what went wrong??

Hi Acipenser,

The milk needs to have cooled down to around 38-43ºC/100-110ºF before adding the commercial yoghurt, or "starter."

If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, it may still work if you cool it enough so it feels "just warm" to your finger.

HTH :)

Rosebud:rose:

okay, i tried this again. it worked better, although the consistancy was still really runny. is there anything i can add to make it a thicker consistancy??

thanks for your help!

I make mine with light cream and whipping cream. I bring the cream to 180* and cool it down to 110*.
I mix in he organic yogurt maybe ½ cup depends how much is hanging around, and my yogurt is as firm as sour cream.
I get about a liter of yogurt.
Make sure there is no gelatin in the yogurt you use as a starter.

If the yoghurt has not set properly, it may be either that the temperature was too high when you added the starter (needs to be about 100-110ºF) or the starter may have been ineffective for some reason.
If you are using commercial yoghurt as your starter, use one that is as fresh as possible. Also, as Pene says, use one that is "plain" - no gelatine or other additives.

Are you able to maintain the temperature between 100 and 110º while it is culturing?

After I have finished culturing mine (for 24 hours, because I follow SCD. The longer time eliminates most of the lactose - making it lower carb although a bit more tart), I place it in the fridge for at least 8 hours without disturbing it. It seems to "set" more in that time.

You can also "drip" your yoghurt to make it firmer. This just means draining it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. The whey that drains off also carries off more carbs. ;)
I do this, spooning the yoghurt into a coffee filter in a strainer over a dish. I just leave it in the fridge for about another 8 hours or more.

HTH!

Roz