Make Your Own Yoghurt

When you think about how yoghurt, (or cheese for that matter), is made, it can sometimes be off-putting. There can be a lot of talk about bacteria etc, which for some people can equate to getting sick, and therefore it being bad for you. But we all now know about good bacteria, such as probiotics (which can help those who are lactose intolerant), as well as gut health being important to your overall wellbeing.

Yoghurt can be incredibly good for you, especially when you make your own because you know exactly what's going in it. Sometimes, shop bought yoghurt can include fructose and glucose syrup, as well as preservatives. Homemade yoghurt doesn't have anything like that in it, so it automatically becomes better for you. Generally speaking, there are many benefits to eating yoghurt, and can be full of nutrients, high in protein, good for your heart and for your bones, as well as being good for your digestive health and your immune system. On top of all of that, it's just really yummy, and since people have been eating various types of yoghurt since ancient times, it must be reasonably good.

The best part about making your own is that you can make it with pretty much any type of milk that you'd like, from UHT full cream or low fat, to soy or almond milk - the choice is yours. My personal preference is to make it with full cream milk and to keep it plain. That way, I can use it for either sweet or savoury cooking, and add different flavours to it as I'm going along.

Something that I highly recommend trying, (if you haven't already), is just after the yoghurt has been made, try some that's still warm from the yoghurt maker with some fresh berries. I'm telling you now that it's a taste sensation, you'll love it! Obviously I'm a little biased, because I love all things dairy and eat yoghurt nearly every day, but if it's something that you can eat, I think you should at least try it once.

There are a few different ways that you can make yoghurt and below is how I make mine. You can watch the video that I made, or read the instructions below - enjoy!

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 24 hours incubation

Ingredients

- 1 Litre UHT Milk

- 1/16th Tsp "DROP" Probiotic Yoghurt Culture

- Optional - 4 tbsp Full Cream or Skim Milk Powder

Method

Step 1.

Pour milk into the 1 Litre container.

Step 2.

Add the yoghurt culture and mix well, (be careful not to add too much as it won't allow the yoghurt to set properly).

Step 3.

Optional - Stir through the milk powder.

Step 4.

Incubation - Put container in the yoghurt maker and turn on. Leave to incubate for 18 - 24 hours.

Step 5.

Remove the container from the yoghurt make and place in the fridge to chill completely. You may like to add extra flavours at this time (refer to notes below).

Store the yoghurt in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Tips & Hints

- The equipment required is a Yoghurt Maker, a 1 Litre Plastic Container, and "DROP" Measuring Spoon (1/16th tsp) *You can purchase specialty measuring spoons anywhere that supplies cheesemaking equipment*

- If you want to add flavours to your yoghurt, do this at the end of the process, before refrigeration. Do not add beforehand as this will react with the yoghurt culture. You can add things such as honey, brown sugar, dried fruit or jam. *You can purchase yoghurt culture anywhere that supplies cheesemaking equipment*