I got one of these on the weekend for a belated birthday pressie.
Its awesome and makes such yummy yoghurt.
Just wondering if anyone has tried making their own yoghurt using UHT milk and some of the previously made yoghurt?
i am keen not to use the packet stuff and also the flvoured stuff is full of sugar, so would like to investigate this avenue
I have heard that this works well in theory, but am wondering if anyone has any further ideas or comments
I have very successfully made natural yoghurt with fresh milk and a little bit of natural yoghurt as the starter. I'll come back on later and post it for you.
Netix, i read that the UHT is used so that the milk doesnt have to be heated... i would be interested to hear what you do with the fresh milk.
Tish - its so good!!! With teh Easiyo, i mix the packet with water, put hot water in the insulated flast thingy and then close the lid.... 8 hours later i have the Yummiest and creamiest yoghurt EVER!!!
Cant wait til this aftrenoon when i get to have my pot
Sorry it took me so long to come back on and do this.... I made a lot of playdough last night, then had playgroup this morning!
1 litre milk
2 tblsp natural plain yoghurt
Bring milk to the boil (watch- it can start to boil quickly!). When it starts to bubble up, turn down heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool to about 43c (I use a candy thermometer).
Skim off the skin that forms, and beat the yoghurt with a small amount of the warm milk. Then beat in the rest of the milk.
Pour into a wide mouth thermal container like a thermos, screw on the lid, wrap in a towel and leave to set overnight (not in the fridge). I pour the yoghurt mix into a 1 litre yoghurt tub, then put into a insulated lunch bag and wrap a towel around the container and put another one on top.
In the morning, unwrap and put in the fridge. Ready to use after about 8 hours in the fridge.
To always have some starter culture to make more yoghurt, freeze tablespoons worth in ice cube trays. Then, when you need them, leave to defrost in the fridge or on the bench.
Its a bit tart, as natural yoghurt is, but it goes great with fruit or on cereal, or with natural honeycomb mixed through.
Sim milk can be used, as well as sheep or goat's milk.
ETA: I was going to get an easiyo, but I had read there was a way of making it without. And I have too much stuff in my kitchen anyway. Its so easy to make, and its only a few minutes of any actual 'work'. The trickiest thing was making sure I had something stable to put the container in (I actually stashed the packed insulated bag in the cupboard so it didn't get tipped over). If the milk scorches on the bottom of the saucepan, don't mix the milk in the saucepan or the yoghurt will have little brown bits all through it (yep, did that!).
Last edited by Netix; November 6th, 2009 at 12:13 PM.
You're very welcome! I'm not sure how well it would work if you put fruit or other flavours like honey in before it had set, but this way does work. And its so much more economical than buying yoghurt every week.
Oh, you could make in smaller tubs/containers to put in your lunch box (bento thinking here, sorry!), as long as you wrap it up really well. It just has to cool *REALLY* slowly to do its 'thing'.
OK so you guys got me inspired and I got an Easiyo. We buy Jalna for DS and ourselves (other youghurt just tastes like confectionary now!), and it's costing us a fortune. Won't take long for it to pay for it I'm just waiting to use up the last of the Jalna before I try making it - how sensible
How does the Easiyo stack up against Jalna? I got the natural one which I plan to sweeten with fruit purees when serving. I might even try making it without the packets one day!
I plan to use the Easiyo maker (which essentially is a container inside a flask of boiling water) via your method Netix, sounds just as easy really.
Just want to use up the packets first...
I made Mum some Greek Yoghurt today, didnt try it but she will report back on the taste.
Tish - the sweetened ones are quite sweet (children LOVE IT) and the unsweetened ones have less flavour (as in strawberry or apricot) if you are buying the packets, go for the sweet ones if thats your thing, or get the unsweetened PLAIN ones and then sweeten, not worth getting unsweetened flavoured ones IMO...
I will report back once i have tried it out with milk and a bit of starter...
Thanks Sammiejane At the moment DS is not allowed added cane sugar and I"m also wary of flavourings etc, poor little deprived child that he is The flavourings all look as natural as possible, so I'd be happy to eat them myself though! So we went for the natural full fat one which I'm going to flavour with fruit for him.
I've got my first batch on tonight! I plan to then use a bit of this batch to make yoghurt with Netix's method next time and the time after, and then use another packet again.
Compared to the cost of Jalna this is going to be soooo cheap!
I'm such a hippy First home made bread now this. Poor DS is gonna get hell when he's going to school LOL
well, you girls inspired me to get off my butt & get into the whole Easiyo thing.....OMG, where has it been all my life, we're all loving it. DH even made a batch! Not quite organised/game enough to be as good as Netix just yet, maybe one day
Netix I'm going to try making yoghurt the way you suggested because
a) I'm tight - a litre of milk is cheaper than the easiyo sachet
b) interested to know if it will be yummier using fresh milk
I'm still going to use the easiyo container though - should I fill the container up with tepid water to use that to insulate it? Or just leave the container empty and put the whole thing somewhere warm?
Hmm. I wouldn't worry about filling the easiyo with anything. Just wrap it up with a towel or similar. You just want it to cool down REALLY slow. If you were to fill it with anything, it would have to be hot water, as tepid would cook the mixture down too fast I think. Like I said, I just use a 1 litre yoghurt (yoplait) container, as they are really sturdy. A jalna tub would be just as good, or any yoghurt tub, as long as it has a lid (just think though, the less liquid-tight the lid, the more careful you have to be wrapping and unwrapping it). You don't necessarily want it somewhere 'warm' like making bread, just insulated well to go cold (to room temp) slowly. Wrapped in a towel in the back of the pantry or something like that. You can see how I did mine.
I think its yummier because you made it yourself. My Mum likes natural yoghurt, and she likes how the homemade one turns out.
And you're not being tight. You're being economical and thrifty.
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Easiyo
The flavourings all look as natural as possible, so I'd be happy to eat them myself though! So we went for the natural full fat one which I'm going to flavour with fruit for him.
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