After my recent dairy failures it was with great trepidation I attempted yoghurt. Yogurt is apparently ‘really easy’ so if I couldn’t get this right then I think my career in attempting to make dairy From Scratch would be well and truly over.
But determined/stupid as ever I was convinced I could at least get this one right.
I have learnt the importance of preparation now, so just to be sure I read about 10 different recipes and got my ingredients the day before I attempted to make it. I checked my equipment with the diligence of a Formula One team until I was convinced my wheels wouldn’t go skidding off if rain hit the track.
So I was ready to go, I couldn’t blame lack of research, lack of preparation, or a complex recipe.
It was just me, the yogurt and a desperate hope that this would not be my latest failure in a long run of dairy flops.
Ingredients
500ml Whole Milk
3 tbsp Plain live yogurt
Method
- Put the milk in a saucepan and whisk in the dried milk powder.
- Place over a medium heat until the milk steams and bubbles appear around the edge.
- Pour into a warmed mixing bowl and leave to cool until a thermometer reads 46C (or in the absence of a thermometer, dip a clean finger in and if you can leave it there for 20 seconds without undue pain it’s about right)
- Whisk in the live yogurt and cover bowl with cling film and wrap it in a clean towel and leave somewhere warm for six to eight hours (I found my was done by six hours in.)
- When it’s thickened and looks set pour it into a clean airtight container and refrigerate.
SUCCESS!
I made it! I know it feels a bit like congratulating a child for eating their broccoli but I had overcome my dairy curse and pulled of some pretty delicious yoghurt, which I then enjoyed with some honey and on top of a lovely hot chilli con carne.
I will admit this isn’t an epic, but sometimes watching Mean Girls can be just as rewarding as Ben-Hur!
If I can do yogurt then I will one day be able to do cheese and, dare I hope, chocolate. 🙂