Homemade Sweetened Yoghurt – Small Batch

Yoghurt is a simple enough food to buy but it can get expensive. I particularly like the sweetened yoghurt freshly made at my local grocer; it’s lusciously thick and creamy and lightly sweetened but we do get through quite a bit of it so this is the focus for my homemade yoghurt.

After reading the final results of other people’s homemade yoghurts (the main complaint being that it wasn’t as thick as store bought varieties, alot even separated) I chose to add a thickener, pectin to be exact, just to be safe … I really wanted to replicate my favourite yoghurt and quickly. If you aren’t in a hurry then ideally leave it to strain in a muslin cloth over a bowl to catch the whey. This will produce a deliciously thick and creamy yoghurt -You won’t be able to strain it if you have added gelatin or pectin.

Yoghurt is basic enough to make, the challenge is having a source of heat to keep it warm for 10-12 hours (times do vary immensely though). I decided to do the esky method, but you can do any of the following methods:

• put it in a non draughty area with a towel around it
• place it in a thermos
• remove the shelves from your dehydrator and leave it at 45°C / 113°F
• place it on a brewer’s heat pad with a tea towel over it… they all do the same job.

Your yoghurt can set anytime from only a few hours, but you can leave it for as long as a day. The sour taste will get stronger the longer it’s left.

If you want a basic greek yoghurt then omit the sugar and vanilla and any thickeners. Just make as the method below and then pour into a strainer lined with muslin and leave to drain in the fridge till you have achieved your desired consistency.

It’s important to use freshly opened, ‘live’ yoghurt in your first batch to ensure the bacteria is at it’s freshest then, importantly, remember to make sure you to set aside a 1/4 cup of your yoghurt to use as a starter batch to get another lot of yoghurt going. You can generally get about 4 cycles from your homemade yoghurt before you will need to buy a fresh batch of live yoghurt to use as your starter.

Other variables you can use when making your yoghurt include using pure cream or half cream with half milk instead of straight milk.

Also check out the amaze-balls Sweet Yoghurt Bread Rolls that can be made with this yoghurt recipe!

Ingredients

3 c full cream milk

1/4 c live yoghurt

4 tsp vanilla paste

2 tbs jam setting sugar – (use plain caster sugar if you choose to strain the yoghurt rather than add a thickener)

Method

Heat the milk to 85°C / 185°F, that’s just to the froth stage not boiling then leave it to cool to body temperature. Treat this just as you would yeast… too hot and it dies, too cool and it can’t develop.

Add the vanilla and jam setting sugar and give a quick whisk to incorporate.

Add the yoghurt and stir to combine.

Pour into a 3 or 4 cup container and then place into an esky.

Fill the esky with 45°C / 113°F water – or close to (for easy of use, check how hot your tap water is and then just fill up straight from the tap) Check on it a couple of times and top up with warm water as necessary. Leave for 8- 12 hours.

Test to see if it’s thickened by tilting the jar on the side and if it pulls away with a little wobble, it’s done. You can leave it longer if wish a more sour flavour.

Give a bit of a stir and place in the fridge.

Use over the next couple of weeks.

Looking for something else to use this yummy recipe with… Sweet Yoghurt Bread Rolls