Homemade Yogurt Machine recommendations?

[elsie3]

OK! You are all enablers!
I just ordered one, I don't do dairy so I'm excited to experiment!

Christie

Happy to enable anytime! I'm just enjoying some greek yogurt with fresh peaches (a little stevia, a splash of real vanilla, a sprinkle of cinnamon)--heaven!!!!!!

I've paid for my yogurt maker many times over with what I've saved over the years by making my own--especially since discovering that all you had to do to make Greek yogurt was strain it with a coffee filter--voila!

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Automatic yoghurt maker

Christie,
That's awesome! I hope you really enjoy making your own yogurt. It's so easy, and delicious. Let us know if you have any questions, and how your first batch goes.

Nathalie, what machine did you order?

Eva

To Eva,

I was torn between shef and the french brand Moulinex I have always known.

Went for shef cause it is automatic. It has a timer
Here is the linkhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Shef-Digital-Yoghurt-Maker-White/dp/B00ELDTI1Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379152375&sr=8-1&keywords=shef+yoghurt+maker

I am enjoying experimenting in the kitchen. I have made myself a lowcarb bread with: oat flour, egg white, baking powder, seeds and brown rice portein isolate.
No kneading done. I just used the blender. It was easy. I will post more details later once I have found the perfect ratio for ingredients . so far I am happy with the outcome. The bread was good. I could toast it

I have attached a picture of it.

 

[Chris801]

I ordered the Euro-Cuisine YM100 Automatic Yogurt Maker

What does it say about my life, that the most exciting thing I've got going is making yogurt!

Christie

 

[deineira]

Nathalie, enjoy having one with a timer! That will make it even easier. I considered those, but could not find one that made one large serving with a timer, so I just went for the large one. It does present some limitations, though, as I do have to plan it out a little more so that I can be around when it's time to turn it off. Your life will be even easier for having the timer.

Nancy, you should definitely put that on your wish list, especially if you and/or DH are regular yogurt eaters. My hubby eats a lot more yogurt now that we make our own, and it has replaced some other not-so healthy foods as a mid-afternoon snack for him.

I'll be making two batches of yogurt tomorrow, and I'll be thinking of my new yogurt buddies!

Eva

 

[Shericbuck]

Today is the day

Good Day! OK I am waiting on my yogurt as I type. I have made two batches.

One Justine style - no machine and 1 batch with the Euro Cuisine YM260 - Eva style (I just had to buy another kitchen gadget...I clicked buy before I knew what hit me, it happen so fast.)

Wish me luck! Yikes. My husband is willing to test both batches (surprise). He must be running a fever. If I fail, 96% chance, I will try and try again.

Have a wonderful day...It is beautiful weather here in Virginia - feels like fall.

Will report back on my results.

Sherry

PS, Nathalie, I am very interested in your low carb bread...when you get the ratio down. Please let us know.

 

[Justinef]

I've just got back from a few days away, and everyone has started making yoghurt!!! Brilliant. Please let me know how it goes...
Elsie - I don't actually scald the raw milk - which is very naughty and can cause the proliferation of unwanted bacteria. I've been drinking raw milk all my life, however, so I'm probably pretty resistant to any bugs! It's actually illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption in the UK I usually make goat's milk yoghurt at around 40C - about 100- 110F. Make sure you don't add the starter (or live whey, or live yoghurt) until the milk has cooled to 110F. I don't know what could be causing yours to curdle??
Let me know if you have success.
Justine

 

[Justinef]

Something else I've just thought to add - if you strain the yoghurt through muslin, you get 'Greek style' which has a higher protein to carb ratio (the lactose is removed in the whey) - although you do half the yield.

 

[elsie3]

I've just got back from a few days away, and everyone has started making yoghurt!!! Brilliant. Please let me know how it goes...
Elsie - I don't actually scald the raw milk - which is very naughty and can cause the proliferation of unwanted bacteria. I've been drinking raw milk all my life, however, so I'm probably pretty resistant to any bugs! It's actually illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption in the UK I usually make goat's milk yoghurt at around 40C - about 100- 110F. Make sure you don't add the starter (or live whey, or live yoghurt) until the milk has cooled to 110F. I don't know what could be causing yours to curdle??
Let me know if you have success.
Justine

Thanks for your reply, Justine. I tried a batch without scalding it at all (just added the starter and put in to incubate) It did better, but not great--most turned in to whey (but it made for some very thick Greek yogurt). I'm thinking the milk wasn't fresh enough. I used the rest of the milk for kefir, so it wouldn't waste. I've been making yogurt with store-bought milk for years, but I'd much rather use raw milk. I can only buy raw cow's milk from the farm (they aren't allowed to sell raw milk where pasteurized milk is sold, and I had to sign a waiver). Now you've made me glad I can get it at all. But it's 10 miles each way, so I'm VERY excited find a source of goat's milk close by.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Will report back on my results.

Sherry

PS, Nathalie, I am very interested in your low carb bread...when you get the ratio down. Please let us know.

Hi Sherry,
I promise i will let you know all about ingredient and ratios once I have mastered the recipe and found the perfect ratios. I like to keep my recipes with a maximum of 4 ingredients.

As to the yoghurt maker, I have all ingredients and I am just waiting for the maker to be delivered.

So glad to hear everyone is getting busy .

Will report in due course ;-)

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Muslin versus a sieve

Something else I've just thought to add - if you strain the yoghurt through muslin, you get 'Greek style' which has a higher protein to carb ratio (the lactose is removed in the whey) - although you do half the yield.

Hi Justine,

I got myself a simple sieve from Tesco.

Would that do the straining job properly?

Thanks,

 

[Justinef]

Hi Nathalie - worth lining the sieve with some thin cotton - a (new!) J cloth or dishcloth or hankie would do. The whey is great for tenderising meat. Also it works as a 'starter' for the next batch of yoghurt.
Let me know how it goes.
Justine x

 

[Shericbuck]

I had success with the yogurt machine and failed miserably without it. Got to love a kitchen gadget.

Hats off to Justine and to everyone else that can make yogurt without a machine.

Had some today and was very pleased. No more yogurt from the grocery store for me.

Happy Yogurting!!!!!
Sherry

Looking for my next challenge in the kitchen. Bread making?

 

[deineira]

Hi Sherry,
I'm sorry that your manual batch did not succeed, but I'm happy that your machine batch met your expectations. I hope you also found it to be sort of "fun", as these things go! It's so easy and more cost effective to make your own yogurt. YAY!!!

Breadmaking is another hobby of mine and I make most of the bread we consume in our house. I mostly make 100% whole wheat bread, or bread that is 50% wheat, 50% unbleached flour. I don't even really eat bread, but DH eats sandwiches for lunch every day, so I make bread for him. I'd be happy to send you some recipes that I use regularly that work for me, if you're interested. Nathalie has her protein bread recipe too, that she said she would share when it's been perfected. I've seen gluten-free recipes online, but I've not tried those.

Eva

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Thanks everyone - It did work wonders, super easy to make

Hi Everyone,

My yogurt maker turned up yesterday and I brewed my first batch over the night to ensure the timer is working properly.

I followed the recipe book enclosed in the machine box. The manufacturer recommended UHT milk. I did not really want to venture using raw milk. Ingredients were: 1litre of unsweeted UHT Soya milk, 4 tablespoon of soya yogurt unsweeted from supermarket brand Alpro and about 30 gr of skimmed powdered milk to thicken the yogurt.

I have succeeded in making my first batch. I did not need any strainer as there was a tiny bit of water at the top of the jar. The yogurt was so thick that I could completely turn the jar upside down. It did stay put! I set the timer for 8 hours and it was done in the morning.

I will report on here once I have made the cow milk version.

To sherry, Glad you have succeeded making a batch. Let's keep in touch !


All The best everyone

 

[deineira]

Nathalie,
Congrats on your first batch of yogurt!! That is very, very cool. I have not tried soy milk yet...maybe I'll give that a whirl. We have an Asian market near my job that makes fresh tofu and fresh soy milk which is delicious. I'll have to try that next time I'm there.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Eva

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Nathalie,
Congrats on your first batch of yogurt!! That is very, very cool. I have not tried soy milk yet...maybe I'll give that a whirl. We have an Asian market near my job that makes fresh tofu and fresh soy milk which is delicious. I'll have to try that next time I'm there.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Eva

To Eva,

Give it a try Eva. It's good to have a break from cow milk products. I love any type of cheese and I need to ensure I am not consumming to much dairies.

Plus Soy is high protein content, good for muscle building.
Oh You are lucky. I wish I had an Asian market around. I will found out the nearest I can get to. I love Asian market. It's incredible the load of stuff we get from there

Have a good day ;-)

 

[nckfitheart2009]

I just want to add.

It was quoted in the recipe book it was not necessary to boil the UHT milk.

I mixed all ingredient and poured the milk in jars et voila

IMO if you can get a look fat UHT milk, go for it

UHT ultra heated temperature

 

[carrd]

I suggest you try making it yourself before buying it. It's really pretty easy. I just started two weeks ago and already made 3 batches. I first tried it with whole milk because I read that it would be thicker that way. But I won't eat that much fat on a regular basis. Now, I'm making it with skim milk and powdered milk and it comes out just like store bought.

Bring 1/2 gallon of milk + 1 cup powdered skim milk over medium heat to 185 degrees. Let cool to 115 degrees. Whisk in 3 Tablespoons of plain yogurt. Pour into a sterilized bowl (I just pour bowling water into a steel bowl to sterilize it). Cover with foil, wrap in a towel, and put into a warm oven (110-115 degrees), with the oven light on for 4-6 hours, or overnight. I find it's easier to do this on a weekend when I'm home rather than overnight, so that I can turn on the oven for 30 seconds every once in a while to maintain the heat. Then refrigerate the yogurt. That's all there is to it!

If you don't have powdered milk, try it without it. I think it will just not be as thick.

 

[irongrl]

I love this thread too! I eat plain greek yogurt almost every day. I usually get Fage 2% or whole or Greek Gods unsweetened. I need to start making it at home.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

I love this thread too! I eat plain greek yogurt almost every day. I usually get Fage 2% or whole or Greek Gods unsweetened. I need to start making it at home.

Sounds like you have been enabled irongrl.

Welcome on this thread. what option are you going for no yoghurt maker option or with? Raw milk or UHT?

I love greek yogurt too but I love any type of cheese aswell. Blue smelly french cheese, dutch soft cheese, british cheddar, gloucester british cheese you name it.... I love brie cheese i do not have often though.

I know I have to keep portions to a minimal level. So my strategy is if i can have a portion of example gloucester british mild cheese as a snack in the middle of afternoon, later evening pudding has to be a plant base (soy) yogurt.

I reckon i need to watch out my dairies ;-)

if you do eat greek yogurt every day like me, You may start venturing in the kitchen making your own. I have done it so can anyone.

All the best,