YOGURT MAKER

girasole225

Hi there
I love yogurt especially the greek one .
Lately I am starting to think it might be a good idea to buy a yogurt maker but I don't know much about it. is it worth it? does the machine require any special attention? I was reading somewhere it takes something like 6 hours to have the yogurt ready which make me wonder, would it be expensive from the electricity point of view?

giantturkeyleg

I don't know if it's really worth the bother getting a yogurt maker. We used to make yogurt at home, but just using a pot. My dad used to just feel the pot and know when it was at the correct temperature, which I understand is not something everyone is going to pick up on straight away.

I think you can get yogurt thermometers though, which might be more worthwhile than a yogurt maker. Or just get a normal thermometer and find the correct temperatures in a book, or on the web.

It's not a complicated process. Here are some instructions, of the way we made it:
-Boil the milk (we sometimes used unpasteurised milk)
-Let it cool, until you can hold the pot without burning yourself
-Add a culture (one of the small pots of plain yogurt from the supermarket, or your own yogurt if you make it a second time), stirring them well,
-Put the lid on the pot and cover it with a blanket for a few hours.
If you make it in the evening, and wrap it overnight and it will be ready in the morning, after which you store it in the fridge. This method ALWAYS worked, making a delicious yogurt, that got thicker after a few days in the fridge (to the point that it no longer poured, like greek yogurt). The only slightly tricky thing is getting the temperature correct, but maybe you can find information on the correct temperature, and just use a normal thermometer to know when the milk is cool enough. If you want thicker yogurt you can add milk powder to the mix (obviously diluting it less than the instructions), or strain the yogurt in muslin.

Up until a few years ago we used to make it all the time, because the tiny pots of natural yogurt were so expensive, for what you are getting. Now though, with Lidl selling it so cheap I don't think it's economically sound to make it at home, and really not worth shelling out on a yogurt maker.

I hope this is of help!

CJhaughey

Easier to use the Easiyo maker, no need for electric other than boiling the water.
Large choice of flavours as well.

Millypenny

I bought an Easiyo maker last year from Lakeland (UK). It's really simple to use and the yoghurt from it is great and very fresh-tasting. All you have to do is make up your mixture in the inner container, then add boiling water to the outer container, put the lid on and leave it for 6-8 hours.

Just google Easiyo to find out more details about if and see how simple it is to use.

You don't have to keep buying the sachet packages to make up new batches (which can be a bit pricey) - you can make up a new supply by putting in about 2 tbsp of active yoghurt and a carton of UHT milk. If you want a thicker yoghurt you can add a few tbsps of dried milk powder (which I do to get a thicker result).

seawoman

Millypenny, I just wondering about Easiyo. I dont know what to choose easiyo with look easy to make yogurt or traditional electric yogurt maker.


Is there any diference with time of making Yogurt between your 2 spoon starter or packet easilo starter?
I am not sure if hot water will be long time enough hot for making good creamy yogurt in easiyo.

Why I am wondering about this...
Previously I got thermos with glass filled inside, was so so great, he keep warm temp very long, This termos was much more better than another populat metal or plastic thermos, keep so much more long hot tea or coffee, so yogurt as well. But was broken.
I got new thermos but plastic and doesnt keep temp at all, maybe little but not enought to make yougurt even in 12h -16h...

I just wondering Easiyo because this is plastic container as well.

About bacteria, where is many diferent bacteria type, when You buing a yogurt for future starter try to buy yogurt or starter which has many many diferent bacteria, some shop yogurt even dont say what bacteria contains !! some say only 1, or 2 type of bacteria.
I know there is exist special starter for homemadeyogurt with few difererent bacteria, some bacteria is good for this, some for another things, so the most good has few diferent type of bacteria.

2xj3hplqgsbkym

You can just make yoghurt in a flask. Boil milk, cool to the same temp as your body -37c. Add culture (natural yoghurt), put in a flask on window sill, leave for 6 hours.