Of course, it's easy to go to the supermarket fridge counter and choose ready-made yogurts. But have you never thought about preparing it yourself, in your kitchen? Homemade yogurt, prepared with probiotics, will bring benefits to digestion, the immune system and reduce any food allergies. Read on to learn more.
Ingrediants
- A liter of milk (of any type, but you can use “ultra-pasteurized” or “UHT” to skip Step 1, because the milk has already been heated to the indicated temperature before being packaged).
- 30-60 g cup of fat-free milk powder (optional).
- A spoonful of sugar to feed the bacteria.
- A pinch of salt (optional).
- 30 ml of ready-made yogurt with live lactic ferments (or you can directly use lactic ferments sold frozen).
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Combine the milk with the starter
Step 1. Heat the milk to 85ºC in a double boiler so it won't burn and you only need to stir it occasionally
If you can't do this, reheat it directly, but check it consistently and move it all the time. Get a suitable thermometer for taking temperature. If you can't find one, know that at 85 ° C, the milk begins to foam. However, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a thermometer with a reading range of 38 ° C to 100 ° C, especially if you plan to make yogurt very thick.
You can use any type of milk, including whole, semi-skimmed, fully skimmed, pasteurized, homogenized, organic, raw, evaporated and diluted, powdered, cow, goat, soy and many more. Ultra-pasteurized milk (UHP and UHT) has already been processed at high temperatures which destroy the proteins that bacteria need to turn milk into yogurt. Some report having some difficulty in making yogurt from this type of milk
Step 2. Let it cool until it reaches 43ºC
Put the container in cold water to make it cool faster and evenly, so you don't have to stir it often. If you let it cool to room temperature or in the refrigerator, however, you need to stir it frequently. Do not proceed with processing until the temperature is below 49ºC, but do not let it drop beyond 32ºC; 43ºC is the optimal temperature.
Step 3. Heat the starter
This is nothing more than the culture of bacteria that you add to milk and that will increase more and more to create yogurt. Let the primer rest at room temperature while you wait for the milk to cool. This way it won't be too cold when you add it to the milk.
- All yogurts need the "good" bacteria. The easiest way to get them is to add pre-prepared yogurt to the milk. For your first time, you can buy high-quality natural yogurt. Make sure that the label states: "with live lactic ferments". Before you start preparing yogurt, try different types of commercial products to get to know their flavor, so you will choose the starter in an informed way.
- Alternatively, purchase a frozen bacteria culture (available online and at health food stores). This is a much more reliable trigger.
- You can also use flavored yogurt, but the flavor of the final product will not be as great as what you would get with plain yogurt.
- You can also use sour cream that is good quality and tastes good, particularly if you don't want to have stringy, stringy strains of bifidus in your yogurt (which is commonly used in industrial yogurts for its thickening properties and strength. to the production process so that it can also be active in your digestive system). If you have chosen to use a bifidus culture, mix it with the help of a sterile blender to distribute it evenly in the milk proteins. If you notice fibrous filaments, then you may have been heating the mixture too fast or too long, so always use a double boiler for a double boiler. If you live at a high altitude, know that altitude can aggravate the problem.
Step 4. If desired, add low-fat milk powder
Add about 30-60g to increase the nutritional value of your preparation. Thanks to it, the yogurt thickens more, which is very useful if you use skim milk.
Step 5. Add the starter to the milk
Pour in 30ml of ready-made yogurt or dried and frozen bacteria. Stir the mixture or use a sterile blender to distribute the bacteria evenly.
Part 2 of 3: Incubation
Step 1. Transfer the mixture into containers
These must be clean and fitted with a lid, alternatively seal them with cling film.
You can use glass jars if you want, even if they aren't essential
Step 2. Let the bacteria proliferate
Keep the yogurt warm to encourage the development of bacteria, the temperature must remain as constant as possible around 38 ° C. The longer the incubation time, the denser and more acidic the yogurt will be.
- Do not move the mixture during this phase. If you mix and shake it, you don't ruin the final product, but you lengthen the incubation times.
- After seven hours, you should have a custard-like consistency, with a cheese-like color and probably with greenish liquid on the top. This is just what you want. The longer you wait after these first 7 hours, the thicker and stronger the yogurt will be.
Step 3. Choose the method you prefer for incubation
There are several techniques in this regard. Always use a thermometer to make sure the temperature is constant and practice the method that is most comfortable for you. The yogurt maker is a tool that allows you great freedom and is very simple to use. In the following steps you will find detailed instructions.
- You can turn on the oven light (this guarantees an internal temperature of around 25-28 ° C) or preheat the oven to the temperature you want, turn it off and then leave only the light on to keep the heat constant. Turn on the oven from time to time to keep the temperature from dropping too much. This method isn't super easy, make sure you don't heat the yogurt too much. If your appliance has the "leavening" function, use it to keep the internal environment at the desired temperature.
- Alternative methods involve the use of a dryer, a rice cooker, a warmer or a slow cooker set to minimum.
- If you don't have any of these tools, then you can leave the yogurt in front of a window in full sun or inside the car. However, remember that exposure to light degrades the nutritional value of milk. It would be better if the temperature never exceeds 49 ° C and never drops below 32 ° C, the ideal would be 43 ° C. In addition, place the container in hot water inside the sink, a small bowl or a small portable picnic refrigerator.
Step 4. Opt for a yoghurt maker
There are many models of this appliance, if you decide to use it (which is highly recommended). It is a tool that guarantees you a safe and controlled incubation period for bacteria.
- Yogurt makers without a timer and heated by a resistance are the most popular because they are also the cheapest. They have a low cost because they are designed without temperature control, which instead is essential to ensure the proliferation of bacterial culture in milk. Furthermore, these models are designed to operate at an average room temperature, but if this is higher or lower than normal, the resting times required for a good yogurt may vary. They have a limited capacity and force you to prepare yogurt several times if you want enough for your weekly requirement. They are not suitable for large families.
- Yogurt makers with temperature control are more expensive, as they are built with electronic components that guarantee constant heat. In this category we find two types of yoghurt makers.
- In machines that keep the internal temperature constant (preset by the manufacturer) regardless of the ambient temperature, you cannot adjust it manually.
- Some machines combine the features of those mentioned above. For example, you might find a model with a preset temperature but with a timer, a control display and a block of some functions. This type of appliance is able to produce good quality yogurt in just over two hours, since the set temperature is well above that which can be obtained with home methods. It is also larger (over 240ml) and available in many capacities. You can use a 4L container or four large 1L jars to make a lot of yogurt in one go. However, in this kind of machines, with very tall or very large cans, it may be necessary to add a cloth or another lid to close the spaces between the base (the control and heating unit) and the supplied cover.
Step 5. Know the benefits of a yogurt maker
Thanks to this tool, you can adjust the temperature so that it is always optimal according to the strain of bacteria you have used. Once set, the yogurt maker will keep the heat constant, regardless of the ambient temperature in your kitchen.
You will be able to determine how long the machine should heat the yogurt containers. Although this feature is very convenient because it allows you to "forget" about the yogurt, however, know that you should never leave the machine unattended. During the period of operation it is advisable never to leave the house, so as to be able to intervene promptly in the event of problems (for example if the yoghurt maker suddenly switches off)
Step 6. Arrange the containers with cold milk and the starter inside the appliance
Make sure they are well spaced and in an upright position (they must not tip over or the yogurt will come out).
Step 7. Put the lid on to keep the heat
The constant temperature, hopefully, allows bacteria to grow inside the milk and turn it into yogurt.
Step 8. Check the consistency of the yogurt
After a certain time, depending on the strain of bacteria, the temperature and the amount of nutrients available in the milk, the preparation should have the classic consistency of yogurt. It may take two hours, twelve or even more. A shorter incubation time produces less acidic yogurt, while a longer period allows for complete bacterial development. For those who are lactose intolerant, a longer incubation produces a more digestible yogurt.
Step 9. Remove the containers from the machine
When the yogurt has reached the consistency you want, remove the containers and put them in the refrigerator to lower the temperature and store the product. These containers, often supplied with the yoghurt maker, can be small jars from which you can eat the yoghurt directly. Or they can be very capacious (up to 4 l, depending on the size of your yogurt maker), suitable for those who have to regularly produce large quantities of yogurt.
Step 10. Make sure the yogurt is ready
Try gently shaking a jar; if the contents do not move, then it is ready and can be transferred to the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can wait 12 hours or more if you prefer a strong flavored yogurt.
Part 3 of 3: Finishing Touches
Step 1. Strain the yogurt through cheesecloth if you want a thicker consistency
Put the gauze in a colander and the latter in a large bowl that can collect the serum (a yellowish liquid). Pour the yogurt into the colander, cover it with a plate and transfer everything to the refrigerator. Leave it undisturbed for a couple of hours if you want to get Greek-like yogurt. Let it filter overnight for a really thick, cream cheese-like product.
Step 2. Put the yogurt back in the fridge
Let it rest for several hours before enjoying it. It will keep for 1-2 weeks. If you have decided to use part of it as a starter for a new production, remember to do it within 5-7 days, so the bacteria will not have lost the ability to reproduce. Serum will collect on the surface, you can discard it or mix it before enjoying the yogurt.
Many industrial yogurts are enriched with thickeners such as pectin, starch, gelatin or rubber. So don't be surprised and don't worry if your yogurt is a little more liquid. If you place it in the freezer to cool down before moving it to the refrigerator, you will get a smoother and more velvety product. You can also mix or shake any lumps
Step 3. Add flavorings (optional)
You can experiment until you find the combination that suits your taste. Use jam, maple syrup or ice cream, just to name a few ingredients. If you prefer something healthier, add fresh fruit with or without sugar and honey.
Step 4. Use some of the yogurt you made as a starter for the next batch
Step 5. Finished
Advice
- Commercial yoghurts are usually too sugary; if you make it yourself, you can control the amount of sweeteners you take.
- The longer the incubation, the denser the yogurt will be.
- If you put the yogurt in the freezer before moving it to the refrigerator, you will get a smoother consistency. You can also mix or shake any lumps.
- The water bath facilitates temperature control.
- Virtually all yogurt making machines need to be filled with water at the bottom, so the heat spreads to the containers. Follow the instructions specific to your appliance.
- Always have a thermometer on hand. You can use it to control the water temperature and help the yogurt to stabilize.
