Make your own yoghurt at home
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR THE MASTER COOK
DAIRY QUEEN
Here’s a revelation: you can make your own yoghurt at home. And you don’t need anything fancy, just yoghurt (or yoghurt cultures) and milk. It’s that easy. Why would you do this, we hear you ask. Because it does wonders for your gut health (and it’ll look great on Instagram).
Turn the page to see how it’s done.
HOME-MADE YOGHURT
milk 8 cups (full-cream or 2% are best, but skim can also be used) plain yoghurt containing active cultures ½ cup
1 Pour the milk into a heavy-based saucepan (cast-iron works best) and place over medium to medium-high heat. Warm the milk to just below boiling, about 93°C. Use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature. Stir the milk gently as it heats to make sure the bottom doesn’t catch and the milk doesn’t boil over. This step is necessary to change the protein structure in the milk so it sets as a solid instead of separating. 2 Let the milk cool until it is just warm to the touch, about 44°C. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. 3 Place about 1 cup warm milk into a bowl. Add the yoghurt and whisk until smooth and dissolved in the milk. 4 Whisking gently, pour the thinned yoghurt into the warm milk. This inoculates the milk with the yoghurt culture. 5 Cover the saucepan and place in the oven with the oven light on or wrap the pot in towels to keep the milk warm as it sets (ideally around 44°C). You can also make the yoghurt in a dehydrator or using a yoghurt maker.
6 Let the yoghurt set for at least 4 hours or overnight – the exact time will depend on the cultures used, the temperature of the yoghurt, and your preference. The longer yoghurt sits, the thicker and more tart it becomes. If this is your first time making
it, start checking it after 4 hours and stop when it reaches a flavour and consistency you like. Avoid stirring the yoghurt until it has fully set. 7 Once the yoghurt has set to your liking, remove it from the oven. If you see any watery whey on the surface of the yoghurt, you can drain it off or whisk it back into the yoghurt before transferring to containers. Whisking also gives the yoghurt a more consistent creamy texture. Transfer into storage containers, cover and refrigerate. Home-made yoghurt will keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Cook’s note: Save ½ cup of yoghurt to use to culture your next batch. If after a few batches it starts to taste a bit strange or you notice that it’s not culturing quite as quickly, another unwelcome bacteria may have appeared in your yoghurt, or the strain is becoming weak. As long as the latest batch still tastes okay you can eat it, but go back to using commercially made yoghurt in your next batch.