I haven't made yogurt since the late 70's when I had a dannon yogurt maker and used to make yogurt in the dorms so I wouldn't have to eat dorm crap.....

I'd like to make it in larger quantities, not individual serving containers now. The yogurt maker was so nice since it kept the temps constant. Is there anything out there now like the dannon maker - but larger bowl style?

And I remember my yogurt being kinda thin - we're all used to thicker stuff these days (unflavored, whole milk, organic). Any advice on that?

thanks so much,
Cathy

I am interesting in hearing what advice you get.

:corn:

Well, I have several different recipes I use...some are thicker than others. Also, if you aren't opposed to gelatin, you can add that after the incubation time if you want it to be thicker. One of my friends does that and it works well. I believe tapioca flour would do the same??

What I use is two 1 qt thermos-brand thermoses. I use the wide mouth kind (made for soup) and they work wonderfully. They hold the temp very constant. All I do is pour the mixed up recipe at the correct temp into the thermoses and let them incubate for about 6-8 hours (although I have done longer without too much tartness.).

I'm *really* enjoying making yogurt and would love to talk more about it.
:)

Jeni

There are 1qt yougurt makers now, we have one (made by Salton) and I like it. I took out the plastic qt. insert and use 1 qt. glass mason jars instead.

Hmm....I'm subscribing so I can hopefully get more recipes. I got a Donvier yogurt maker for my birthday...it makes it in 8 individual containers, which is fine by me......we use whole, organic milk and yogurt starter....and incubate for about 16 hours for a nice, thick consistency. I also just got a yogurt cheese maker/accessory from Aileen in a swap and I use the homemade yogurt to make yogurt cheese and spread from it. I have also found that just putting the homemade yogurt in the strainer (cheese maker) for about 2 hours drains enough liquid out to make the yogurt nice and thick!

Jenn--At what temp does your yogurt maker incubate? I've not tried longer than 10 hours b/c I've heard it can get too tart.

I have about 3 different recipes (all using yogurt as a starter) that I could pass on if people want actual recipes.

Jeni

recipes! recipes! recipes!

the hungry yogurt-crazed moms clammer for recipes!

honestly, yes - I would love them!

thanks so much,
Cathy

Jenn--At what temp does your yogurt maker incubate? I've not tried longer than 10 hours b/c I've heard it can get too tart.

I have about 3 different recipes (all using yogurt as a starter) that I could pass on if people want actual recipes.

Jeni

I searched the manual and website and couldn't find anywhere that stated the temperature...Hmm...I'll keep looking!

I would love your recipes!

you can use a heating pad for an incubator~if you do a search in the Simplifying forum there was a thread there. This is what I copied from it for myself.

OK - here's what you do:

First, you need starter. I get a small container of plain yogurt for this - I know you can get yogurt starter but I've never used it. I've frozen the yogurt in globs (2-3 tablespoons) in small bowls then popped them out and put them in a freezer bag. I then thaw them in the fridge overnight before I make the yogurt.

For the milk, I make up a quart of milk from powdered and add an additional 1/2 cup of powder to the quart to make it thicker. Heat this in a pot (non aluminum) to 180 degrees (use a candy thermometer), stirring frequently then set the pot aside to cool to 115 degrees. Once the milk cools, mix in a little bit of the milk into the yogurt starter then whisk this into the warm milk and mix really well. Pour into a container or containers (I usually just scald some canning jars) then set them up for incubation. I do what is suggested in the Tightwad Gazette for incubation after using a yogurt maker and not liking the results and now I never have a failed batch of yogurt: Get a couple of towels, a heating pad and a large soup pot and set them up - put a towel down on the table/counter/washing machine (LOL - I do mine in the laundry room off the kitchen) with a heating pad under it. Set the yogurt containers on the towel, cover with a towel and then cover the whole thing with a soup pot. Set the heating pad on low and incubate this whole thing for 8 hours then refrigerate when you're done. You can double this or triple this, depending on how much your family will eat but don't use this made yogurt as starter if its over 5 days old but you CAN use this yogurt as starter if it's less old.

I've added 1 Tablespoon of agar-agar to the milk when it is hot & dissolved it in. It made the yogurt so much thicker & creamier than ever before. My 5 yr oldtwins chose it over the store-bought fruit yogurts!!!

Kerri mom to: Amanda(15), Emma(13), Maddison(11), Jonah(9),Saige & Claire
(5, id twin dds), Teagan (2,ds), and J & J (12 mos,frat.
twin foster dds)

I've added 1 Tablespoon of agar-agar to the milk when it is hot & dissolved it in. It made the yogurt so much thicker & creamier than ever before.)

Hmm...what is this and where can I find it?

Linda, what didn't you like about using a yogurt maker? I'd love to hear more, please.

And why do you use powdered milk instead of fresh? I understand the extra powder to make it more concentrated/thicker - but would love to know why not fresh milk plus powder.

At the moment a yogurt maker just sounds 'easier' to me....I am usually not a gadget cook so I can probably be dissuaded with a wee bit of ammunition/opinions.

You can find agar agar at any health food store and most likely any asian grocery store. It is a seaweed product commonly used to thicken stuff up.

thanks!
Cathy

agar is a seaweed derivative & I bought it at a health food store. NAK!

My questions, too. I'm thinking about getting a yogurt maker. and dumping in organic milk from the bottle. I read that it works. I don't know, though.

No heating pads here, and I use the giant soup pot every other day, it seems. I read about the Salton- there's this s150+ post evaluations of it on amazon....

Linda, most linda Linda, does your husband totally appreciate you in every way?

ari

I don't use powdered milk...most people do that for thicker yogurt. I don't mind runny yogurt. I don't like powdered milk because it is a processed food. I like my raw goats milk~it is a live food. (a funny aside~I actually like the tatse of powdered milk~so strange!)

I haven't used a yogurt maker, because I won't buy an appliance if it is plastic and I can avoid it. (excepting my food processor) But I like the idea of replacing the inner sleeve with a mason jar. Yogurt makers are wonderful...if you really think you'll get use out of it, I would get one. Really, since you won't be purchasing all those yogurt containers anymore...in the long run even if you purchase a plastic yogurt maker you'll still bemaking a difference. Additionall, these days, consumer electronics are made so horribly~they are made to be disposable, so I try not to buy them. (enough said on that~lol!)

You really don't need a gaget...the heating pad works great if you have one. I know the yogurt maker sounds easier to me to. It gets you over the mental hurdle of doing something new.

You can use fresh milk plus powdered, that works great too:) You can google for yogurt recipes online...I found some good, easy ones when I google for recipe goats milk yogurt

I made red currant jelly last month when they were in abundance, and we've been mixing some into our yogurt~heavenly:) I have some strawberries in my stawberrry pot that are just ripe...I think they 'need' some yogurt drizzled on them.

Man, I used to be VEGAN~lol!

Linda, what didn't you like about using a yogurt maker? I'd love to hear more, please.

And why do you use powdered milk instead of fresh? I understand the extra powder to make it more concentrated/thicker - but would love to know why not fresh milk plus powder.

At the moment a yogurt maker just sounds 'easier' to me....I am usually not a gadget cook so I can probably be dissuaded with a wee bit of ammunition/opinions.

You can find agar agar at any health food store and most likely any asian grocery store. It is a seaweed product commonly used to thicken stuff up.

thanks!
Cathy

My questions, too. I'm thinking about getting a yogurt maker. and dumping in organic milk from the bottle. I read that it works. I don't know, though.

No heating pads here, and I use the giant soup pot every other day, it seems. I read about the Salton- there's this s150+ post evaluations of it on amazon....

Linda, most linda Linda, does your husband totally appreciate you in every way?

ari
You can just do fresh milk and starter...that is what *I* do. If you mean trying to 'catch' wild starter from the air, I have only done that making sourdough starter.

{Ari~my husband has appreciated me so much over the years(I have known him for *gulp* 18 years...)that I even appreciate myself. I am one lucky woman and he is one lucky man.:heart:
I've been meaning to tell you...I love your stream of conciousness posts, whenever I read them they make my day~the content and the style.}

I had pm'd Lauren on this a few days ago and she mentioned making yogurt in a crockpot. Does anyone do this or have the recipe to make it in a crockpot? :smooch:

I'd love to make my own. We're limited to Trader Joes Goat milk yogurt since DS is allergic to everything else.

I had pm'd Lauren on this a few days ago and she mentioned making yogurt in a crockpot. Does anyone do this or have the recipe to make it in a crockpot? :smooch:

I'd love to make my own. We're limited to Trader Joes Goat milk yogurt since DS is allergic to everything else.
I Googled it using "making yogurt in a crock pot"
http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/bldairy9.htm

It looks like you have to baby sit it a bit. But they list a bunch of methods in this article.

and powdered milk, but this recipie makes the yummiest yogurt I've ever tasted: http://clearingmyemptynest.blogspot.com/2005/10/yummy-and-inexpensive-homemade-yogurt.html

linda, linda, linda ( It means beautiful- isn't that great?) Good, you deserve the very best.:heart:

Okay, I read that on the grotty home computer that is set to typse size ant, so I couldn't really see. What I am wondering is if a waterbath would steady the temperature. Like, use a glass mason jar in a water bath.

I am going to try that this week, and I'll post the result. I've never made yogurt before, so it might develop three eyes, and a tail, and crawl away, probably to go eat worms.( Where's the worm ideogram?)

Okay,now about sourdough...???

Come to think of it, I'll just go have dinner at Linda's house.

ari

you just make me smile.
the woman who I get my Goat's Milk from does a water bath, then puts it in the oven with a towel over it all. if it is really cold, you would have to change the water once probably.

My first sourdough starter did catch some pink mold and was trying to escape the oven and go to Mardi Gras:)

I'll make you anything you want if you come to dinner!

linda, linda, linda ( It means beautiful- isn't that great?) Good, you deserve the very best.:heart:

Okay, I read that on the grotty home computer that is set to typse size ant, so I couldn't really see. What I am wondering is if a waterbath would steady the temperature. Like, use a glass mason jar in a water bath.

I am going to try that this week, and I'll post the result. I've never made yogurt before, so it might develop three eyes, and a tail, and crawl away, probably to go eat worms.( Where's the worm ideogram?)

Okay,now about sourdough...???

Come to think of it, I'll just go have dinner at Linda's house.

ari

I took the plunge and bought a brand new yogurt maker today through BB and Beyond. They have it online for only $15 - and you can use the in-store coupons to order it and get the discount from within a physical store - so under $20 including tax and shipping. Cheaper than used ones on ebay! Can't wait to try some of the recipes that have been shared. thanks so much, Cathy

I wish I could make yogurt as thick as the stuff I get if dh forgets to bring in Ian's lunchbox from the car. He never finishes his milk and the yogurt is so thick, it's already cheese. But ew.

woo! I am going to go get a yogurt maker, rather than brave my crockpot. Thank you for posting that, miz cathleenc.

anyway,I went ahead and made sourdough. But I cheated, and followed a recipe that started with (gasp) yeast from the store. At least it was bulk. And it's still fermenting in my fridge.

It made the nastiest, most biological looking bread dough, ever. I really felt I was killing a colony of -something- when I put it in the oven. I pulled it out of the colander, and it stretched, and it looked like the geonosian amphitheatre in star wars. tasted faboo, though. dh was looking around for more, days later, which is a plus.

Wahoo!! my goatsmilk yogurt turned out perfect! Just like Redwood Hills Yummmmyyy. I was so excited I had to share.