Home made yoghurt

[albertajune]

Does anyone make their own yoghurt? If yes, do you use a yoghurt maker, what make, and what sort of yoghurt does it make?
I love the Greek style and would love to make my own. I know I can buy a maker but don't like the runny yogurt so don't want to waste my money.

[bluebell]

Hi Hun - Have made a number of yoghurts over the years.

To be honest, I now use Easiyo kits - their greek yoghurt is soooo lovely! A number of places stock the kits. I got mine from a company in the lake district who sell a lot of homewares, etc. Any probs, give me a shout.

[LittleBrownFrog]

I use the Easiyo flask (bought mine from Lakeland), but not the sachets. I use a little yoghurt from the last batch, and organic UHT milk. To get greek style yoghurt without the sachets though, you need to strain it, which is a bit of a faff, and reduces the volume of yoghurt you get, so if you want thick greek style yoghurt, then Bluebell's way is probably better.

[albertajune]

Thanks so much to both of you. I have heard of Easiyo so will find them on the internet

[rhubarb93]

I used to just make it in an ordinary flask.
Warm a pint of milk (full fat is nicest) to blood heat, add a tablespoon of dried milk and a dessertspoon of live bought yoghurt to start it. Put in flask overnight. Then tip into bowl and allow to settle. For thick yog you can just tip off the clear liquid.
Save a spoonful to start the next batch. Easy and cheap!
Let us know how you get on.

[Freeranger]

I do exactly what rhubarb does, but I add a couple of drops of vanilla essence to mine which gives a creamier taste. I also buy a new bio-yogurt about every fifth go so that I'm not multiplying any hideous bacteria that have crept in.

[LittleBrownFrog]

I really love vanilla yoghurt -if I put vanilla in mine, I can happily eat a whole batch in a day!

[rhubarb93]

Presumably if you use Greek yog as the starter, you get Greek style out the other end?
I've not done it for ages, but the proper branded Greek yog I like is getting quite expensive now, so may be worth having another go.

Had a look at Easiyo website out of curiosity, and you can get the maker "free" if you are prepared to place some £30 orders with them Expensive way of buying a flask, IMO

[LittleBrownFrog]

The easiyo flask was quite reasonably priced in Lakeland when I bought it a few years ago. Green yoghurt is strained through muslin or similar, using greek yoghurt as a starter doesn't make a difference, you still have to strain it i you want yoghurt.

[Freeranger]

Hmmm.My yogurt doesn't need straining - a bit of whey can be poured off the top but the rest is quite thick and gloopy. But like a set bio-yogurt rather than a Greek one. If I were to strain my thick stuff, would it come out like a Greek one? I think Greek has a creamier flavour than mine, but then again maybe it's because I don't strain it... Can anyone advise? I bet Manda's made them all and written a book.....

[LittleBrownFrog]

Yes, if you strain it you'll get rid of the whey (use it for bread making, and other things - tbh I normally just put it in whatever I'm cooking for dinner) & be left with thick creamy greek-style yoghurt. If you strain it long enough, you'll get a kind of soft-cheese type consistency - lovely with herbs on bruschetta.

[rhubarb93]

If you strain it long enough, you'll get a kind of soft-cheese type consistency - lovely with herbs on bruschetta.

I do this with bought greek yog - put in muslin inside sieve over bowl in fridge overnight - makes the most delicious fresh-tasting cream cheese. Has reminded me - must do some!

[manda]

Can anyone advise? I bet Manda's made them all and written a book.....

I use the easiyo maker ...sometimes I use the sachets they provide because I really like the greek yogurt with coconut one ...but with all the milk we've got I may just have to have a go at making the coconut one with that...funnily enough I've read a fair bit about yogurt but I've not really played to much with it ...
Now there's only so many hours in the day but now you've got me thinking!!!!

What I do know is if you put the yogurt you've got into a cheesecloth and strain it so that you get as much of the liquid out then you will get that thick consistency you get with greek yogurt.

[albertajune]

Once again thanks to you all. I've only just caught up on your replies and think that I will have a go with the flask.
I always thought that it was probably a complicated process, but sounds easy. I will start a batch tomorrow .

[albertajune]

I've made my first batch and it is as said, delicious.
Thanks for all the help