Making yoghurt at home

chiempi

I used to have an Easiyo yoghurt maker (in NZ), and haven't seen anything similar (though to be fair I haven't really been searching, just keeping a weather-eye out) since moving to Ireland 6 months ago. Just read a column on greatfoods.ie though, that mentioned the My Yo yoghurt maker, which sounds virtually the same. Does anyone know where in Galway I could purchase one of these, or an Easiyo, or any sort of basic non-electric home yoghurt-making gadget?

Also, any tips (once I have my home yoghurt-making industry up and running) on making a drink like all the probiotic yoghurt drinks flooding the market at present? Just make the yoghurt very thin perhaps? Am sick of spending €20 a week and disposing of the excessive packaging.

Thanks all in advance

cookiequeen

Hi Chiempi, I rem the easiyo from NZ too. I saw them in the Julian Graves in the eyre square shopping centre before christmas, meant to go back and get one as I want to make goats milk yoghurt, way too expensive here. Have a look in Evergreen also. They're sure to know where to send you if nothing else.

Let me now how you get on cos I'd love to start up again. My mum used to make them with this savage electric incubator thing.

chiempi

cookiequeen wrote: »

Let me now how you get on cos I'd love to start up again.

Thanks so much cookiequeen - was so afire with yoghurt-making fervour that I went straight out to Evergreen - the girl I talked to there didn't seem to know what I was talking about, but swung by the healthfood store on Abbeygate Street (can't remember the name) on my way up to the Eyre Square Centre and they recommended Julian Graves as well. Julian Graves have both lots of Easiyo makers, and a fairly good range of starter sachets. Have got my first batch incubating already!
Thanks again, let me know how you go with the goat's yoghurt, I've never tried making it!

The Sweeper

Guys is it true that once you make your own yoghurt, you'll never go back to the store bought stuff? I've heard great things about it, but am not quite enough of a yoghurt addict to have thus far bothered looking into doing it myself.

I don't bother with EasiYo. This is what I do....scald your milk and cool to around blood heat. Pour into a scalded bowl or flask. Add in a tablespoon of natural yoghurt, stir, cover and leave in a warm place overnight. If you use a flask it keeps itself warm enough. If you want your yoghurt thicker, add in 2 tablespoons of powdered milk. The end result bears no comparison to shop stuff.

chiempi

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

Guys is it true that once you make your own yoghurt, you'll never go back to the store bought stuff? I've heard great things about it, but am not quite enough of a yoghurt addict to have thus far bothered looking into doing it myself.

Fast forward a couple of weeks after my original post... am loving having my own yoghurt onhand. Once I made the first batch (with a sachet of probiotic yoghurt) I just reserved a coupla tbspns of that and have been making further batches from that - as mentioned above, I add a couple of tbspns of milk powder to thicken it up a little, and make it a bit creamier. I've also been saving empty spice bottles for a while now, and have been sterilising those and using them to hold individual portions of probiotic yoghurt drink (homemade yoghurt blended with a little fruit juice and whatever fruit I have on hand) - raging success! And have been making any number of curries, soups, yoghurt marinades and sauces. Worth noting that every 4-5 batches you have to use a fresh starter sachet to boost the live cultures. Have considered adding gelatine to stiffen it up for desserts, a la commercial yoghurts, but as of yet haven't tried it. Am planning to make frozen apricot yoghurt with my next batch yum.

lisajane

chiempi wrote: »

Does anyone know where in Galway I could purchase one of these, or an Easiyo, or any sort of basic non-electric home yoghurt-making gadget?


Thanks all in advance

I was shopping in galway yesterday and came across that yoghurt maker. Its in the eyre square shopping centre in the health food shop beside mothercare. Im not sure if its a health food shop but it sells alot of nuts anyway.

coisaille

Hey, I've been thinking about this recently as would love to try making goats yogurt as well, I found one on ecoshop.ie, its an electric one though - about 55 quid I think, dont know the first thing about these - how does that compare to the easy yo does anyone know?

Mazzamac

chiempi wrote: »

I used to have an Easiyo yoghurt maker (in NZ), and haven't seen anything similar (though to be fair I haven't really been searching, just keeping a weather-eye out) since moving to Ireland 6 months ago. Just read a column on greatfoods.ie though, that mentioned the My Yo yoghurt maker, which sounds virtually the same. Does anyone know where in Galway I could purchase one of these, or an Easiyo, or any sort of basic non-electric home yoghurt-making gadget?

Also, any tips (once I have my home yoghurt-making industry up and running) on making a drink like all the probiotic yoghurt drinks flooding the market at present? Just make the yoghurt very thin perhaps? Am sick of spending €20 a week and disposing of the excessive packaging.

Thanks all in advance

I also have an easiyo yoghurt maker. they aree great. However you can do the same by putting milk into a container and adding a tablespoon or so of fresh yoghurt that you have bought. Cover it and put it into a warm place such as the hot water cupboard and leave overnight. you will end up with fresh yoghurt the next day as the organisms will multiply overnight. Sweeten and flavour as you like. Happy eating.
Cheers:rolleyes:

I have made a lovely bowl of thick goats yoghurt. A litre of goats milk scalded, added a tub of probiotic plain yog, kept warm by the Rayburn all afternoon, and Voila! Big cheap bowl of yog. I got some raspberries to add in. To sweeten, add honey or caster sugar. Personally, I think buying those yoghurt makers are a waste-no specialised equipment is needed.:)

chiempi

OsciiBoscii wrote: »

I have made a lovely bowl of thick goats yoghurt. A litre of goats milk scalded, added a tub of probiotic plain yog, kept warm by the Rayburn all afternoon, and Voila! Big cheap bowl of yog. I got some raspberries to add in. To sweeten, add honey or caster sugar. Personally, I think buying those yoghurt makers are a waste-no specialised equipment is needed.:)

Re scalding - is this a major part of the yoghurt making process? I've been buying the probiotic yoghurt sachets and making them up, then reserving 1/4 cup of the end of the jar to start the next batch. I make that up in a clean jar, with milk from the fridge, and put it in the incubator as before. However, the first batch made this way is always a bit thinner, the second batch I'm lucky to get half a litre (after getting 1 litre from the sachet) and the third batch I'm pretty much pulling out as much yoghurt as I put in in the first place, while the rest of the milk just turns to whey. Any tips on how I can get a proper batch of yoghurt each time?

And I couldn't agree more re the yoghurt makers, if I had an Aga or similar, but living in a flat where even the heating is on a timer so we have no consistently warm part of the apartment, I think it was €25 well-spent and I'm loving having all this yoghurt onhand for curries, marinades, sauces, desserts, snacks, smoothies...! Now, all I need is a way to pass the savings on to the home-made yoghurt, rather than having to buy a fresh sachet of powder every week...

It's great to know there are other people out there making it.

RE*AC*TOR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PqQtdtcJtE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQqyBF4Z8WM

rockbeer

@chiempi, scalding just makes sure there are no other bacteria to compete with the ones you're introducing.

Why buy the sachets when you can just use natural live (pref organic) yoghurt as your starter?

If you don't have a range or a hot press try using an insulated cool box. Scald the milk then let it cool to blood heat, mix in your starter, put the mix into jars, lid them, and while still warm put them in your cool box along with a bit of insulation if necessary. They should stay warm long enough for the bacteria to do what they have to.

Works for me anyway.

c4cat

rockbeer wrote: »

@chiempi, scalding just makes sure there are no other bacteria to compete with the ones you're introducing.

Why buy the sachets when you can just use natural live (pref organic) yoghurt as your starter?

If you don't have a range or a hot press try using an insulated cool box. Scald the milk then let it cool to blood heat, mix in your starter, put the mix into jars, lid them, and while still warm put them in your cool box along with a bit of insulation if necessary. They should stay warm long enough for the bacteria to do what they have to.

Works for me anyway.

I just bring milk to the boil, allow to cool to blood temp, mix in a couple of tea spoons of the leftover yoghurt, and put the pan in my airing cubourd overnight and next morning I have a big pan of fresh yoghurt

rockbeer

^^ Yes, but the poster says they don't have anywhere consistently warm in their apartment. I was suggesting an alternative to the airing cupboard method, for those not lucky enough to have one.

antoniosicily

rockbeer wrote: »

^^ Yes, but the poster says they don't have anywhere consistently warm in their apartment. I was suggesting an alternative to the airing cupboard method, for those not lucky enough to have one.

The best thing to achieve a consistent warm is the use of the oven (which is designed for this reason). For yogurt you can use a oven with only the light turned on; if it's not enough put a 40W light bulb into the oven and that will work great.

But that is wasting electricity. A wide necked flask(Thermos) scalded, ie. sterilized, does the job just as good, as the heat remains constant long enough for the starter to do its work. As for scalding the milk, as well as killing any unwanted bacteria it also reduces the milk which results in thicker yoghurt. So if you want it really thick and custardy, keep simmering till reduced by a third or so. Good luck.

Sashmo

I just bought one of these Easiyo starter kits last week. I thought it was great! But replacement sachets will be quiet expensive. I watched some make you own yogurt videos on Youtube. So it seems buying the gadget may well have been a waste of money. It's early days yet! I did try and failed using the easiyo container and the original method of making yogurt but they've all been too thin. As I speak there's a batch in progress having used UHT milk. So that could go either way have to wail 'til the morning to find out. At least with the longlife milk there's no boiling of milk to be done.

I'll come back to let you know .... if I live to tell the tale!

Sashmo

Ok! The UHT milk did an ok job. The yogurt was perfectly fine just a little bit thin. That could be solved by adding some powdered milk I think.
I'm probably just not supposed to be saving money with this project as when I was going with the traditional method I bought a cooks thermometer there goes another 9.95! Just now as this mornings batch was good enough I decided to start another and when shaking up the contents in the 1 litre carton let it fall to the floor making smithereens of the lid! Great mess on the floor, two great dogs enjoyed the clean-up. Must go try stop bawling now.

muckety

Love home-made yogurt - I just use a bowl wrapped in foil in my hot press... Reckon it is saving me money as we go through a fair amount of it, even buying it in Lidl was a few euro a week. But it is more for the flavour and satisfaction... I use organic milk (aldi) and boil it until it is reduced, cool to blood temp and add a couple of tablespoons of the previous batch (or bought live yogurt).

Sashmo

muckety wrote: »

Love home-made yogurt - I just use a bowl wrapped in foil in my hot press... Reckon it is saving me money as we go through a fair amount of it, even buying it in Lidl was a few euro a week. But it is more for the flavour and satisfaction... I use organic milk (aldi) and boil it until it is reduced, cool to blood temp and add a couple of tablespoons of the previous batch (or bought live yogurt).

Thank you for that information. I'm going to give it a try. It sound so simple. Thanks again.

Sashmo

Thanks to you Muckety yogurt's been turning out great, but with just ordinary full fat milk and a couple of tablespoons of powdered milk in a big glass coffee jar (one of those one's Kenco have on special offer 50%extra free jars, every now and then) and of course the starter yogurt. Instead of constantly using foil I used an old bag originally meant for bringing home frozen foods from shopping, my bag was a bit worn out but great in the hot-press! Hubby was very disappointed with shop -bought stuff lately when we were out of home made version so what more can I say!

muckety

Delighted to be of assistance! I've moved on from foil also - wrapping in whatever I have to hand, also using a ceramic jar now which I think holds the warmth better.
One batch that went a bit askew (added yogurt too early, milk too hot and it curdled) After leaving it overnight, I tried to strain it (another 12 hours in fridge) and discovered I'd made 'lebneh' which is a kind of soft cheese. Try googling it, lots of different approaches to it and its very tasty.

all_smilz

so is the easiyo yogurt making kit any good for making yogurt the "old fashioned" way? Like with a thermos? Cos the outside part appears to be a thermos jobby....
cheers

Sashmo

all_smilz wrote: »

so is the easiyo yogurt making kit any good for making yogurt the "old fashioned" way? Like with a thermos? Cos the outside part appears to be a thermos jobby....
cheers

The truth is I've put it back in its box and marked it down as a silly buy!!!
I might just give it another try sometime but I'd still probably put it in the hotpress to be sure.

I'm delighted with myself as I haven't bought yogurt in months. Myself and OH couldn't go without natural yogurt now! For all the reasons and no reason at all sometimes a batch could end up weak (oops now have to eat my words) so I'd make the next batch using a bought tub!:D

Enjoy the process!

shtax

im trying to make the 24 hour yogurt as in the SCD diet..any ideas where i might get the ProGurt yogurt starter? or similar? i can only seem to find US options.... but needs to be a strong pro-biotic starter for dietry yogurt. Any ideas? cheers
A

0lddog

Some time ago Total yougurt was considered suitable as a starter for SCD yougurt

Is this still the case ?

If so, you can get it in some of the multiples ( Dunnes, Tesco & maybe Supervalu )

Day Lewin

I have made yogurt for twenty years and still do, without an electric gadget. I have a wide-necked Thermos flask - it was called a Food Flask, I think. Always scalded the milk and cooled a bit until merely warm. Then a couple of Tablesp. of shop yogurt - the Glenisk works fine.
Pour into my flask, cover tightly, wrap in a Warmie and leave for five hours without moving the container!

A Warmie is two sleeves of an old woollen school jumper, pulled down over the flask.

The capacity is about a litre and that's the amount of milk I heat, with 3 good tablespoons of starter.

Not moving the container is part of the magic. (In cold weather I warm the flask first with a rinse around of hot water.)

When five hours is up, open carefully to check. Maybe pour off the whey, for a thicker product. Pour into a bowl, stir to amalgamate, cool, then fridge. It often looks quite runny when you first pour it out, but will thicken up as it cools.

And I do re-use that yogurt to start the next batch but after a month or so it runs out of steam and I have to buy new to start again.

Scalding may not be necessary if you use UHT, because that's essentially what UHT is - scalding!