I want to make yogurt but I don't want to mess about with heating milk, thermoses, incubating in boxes/hot water cupboards etc, taking temperatures, etc.So I thought maybe I will buy a yogurt maker.My question is: Can you make it from scratch in a yogurt maker, using your own ingredients, and not use the sachets and stuff like esi yo provide?The main reason I want to make my own, is that I want to make it with soy milk, and soy yogurt is imported and expensive.Thanks for any advice.
lilyfield,
Jan 8, 10:03pm
sure you can- just get a reliable bug.
prawn_whiskas,
Jan 8, 10:03pm
Yes you can, I use my eaziyo as an incubator, I have my 'yogurt' culture in a glass jar that is similar size to the plastic eaziyo containers (only because I do not want my food in contact with the plastic) that and boiling water from the jug and an overnight incubate and we're away and laughing.
Edit - my advice is for cow or goat milk based.I can't comment on soy 'milk' however so can't say if it would work or not.
aly5,
Jan 8, 10:07pm
Even if you buy a yoghurt maker you will still need to incubate it. There is an outer shell to the yoghurt maker that you pour hot water into and then let it sit. You will still need to mix a starter into the soy milk - I'm assuming that you would just add some soy yoghurt to some heated soy milk. Doesn't esi yo have a soy yoghurt packet?
kiwibubbles,
Jan 8, 10:49pm
i am sure that i saw today, a soy based yoghurt sachet made by hanzells or easiyo, for the yoghurt maker
radiodanny,
Jan 8, 10:56pm
Thanks heaps everyone, that's very helpful info!
245sam,
Jan 8, 10:56pm
I thought that one or the other (if not both) had a soy-based yoghurt mix however I did a check on both websites and couldn't find anything to substantiate my thoughts BUT I did find some other information that may be useful - have a look at:-
Thanks for the interesting link sam.OK, so I bought an easiyo set up and I'm ready to go.Prawn whiskas, do I need to heat my milk/soymilk?(I'm not using the sachets, I'm making my own).I see the easiyo instructions for making it with their sachet says to use cool water, not warm.So I assume the boiling water in the incubator brings it up to the right temp?So in that case, I don't need to heat the milk?Also, for a starter, I bought some plain non-fat unsweetened acidophilous yogurt.How much shall I add to my milk? A tablespoon? Sorry about all the questions!Thanks.
prawn_whiskas,
Jan 9, 8:15pm
I can't give you any tips for soy anything so mine are for milk only.
I do not heat my milk but I do let it come to room temp.I do not use it cold from the fridge, I leave it for a few hours on the bench in the glass jar and then I add my culture and shake.I fill the incubator with boiling water from the jug until it is just past the baffle inside, then place the jar in the incubator and top up with boiling water until it is just below the lip of the incubator.Lid on and I let it do it's thing for 8+ hours depending on how sour or cultured I want it.
I also can't comment on how much Commercial yogurt to use as your starter as I have never had success with it as most seem to be well and truly dead and not active at all.I keep 1/2 cup of each batch of yogurt made as my starter for the next batch (of which I add the whole 1/2c to 1ltr of fresh milk), I started off with a freeze dried culture that I had purchased from an organic store.
radiodanny,
Jan 9, 10:21pm
Thanks heaps PW.My research tells me that the soymilk will work just like normal milk, so it should be OK.I will experiment with a few different types of soymilk anyhow.Interesting about the cultures.I have some imported Australian soy yogurt here and the label says "live culture".I will try a batch using some of that and I will also try a batch with the fresh organic dairy yogurt I bought today.If I have no success I will get some of the freeze dried stuff.I guess I can order it on line (I live in the middle of nowhere and certainly can't buy it here).Anyhow, I will report back with my successes! By the way, I agree with you about the plastic, I will use a glass jar too. Thanks.
prawn_whiskas,
Jan 9, 10:39pm
Yes you can buy many cultures on line.
Good luck.
lenart,
Jan 10, 1:52pm
Hi radiodanny, To make soy yoghurt you will also need to add some soy protein powder and either some glucose or sucrose (for the culture to feed on). Soy milk needs to be warmed to around 40C before mixing with the culture and placing in the yoghurt maker. Fill the yoghurt maker with less water than normal in order not to overheat the mixture. Good luck!
radiodanny,
Jan 10, 2:54pm
Thanks lenart, do you mean I need to add those items if I'm using home-made soy milk?I made a batch using 1 litre So Good Lite (a newly opened box at room temperature) and 1/2 a cup of Kingland soy yogurt. In the easi yo, according to their water level directions.After 9 hours it had thickened up to a thick but pourable consistency. So am I right in thinking that the bugs have worked?It tastes bland and fairly tasteless, a bit like So Good!It will be fine with some fruit. I don't generally use So Good, so today I will try it with some Vitasoy which has less additives and no sugar in it, and will add a little glucose, as you suggest.
lenart,
Jan 10, 5:36pm
You can add these even if you are using shop bought soy milk. Cheers.
radiodanny,
Jan 21, 9:57am
OK, thanks.It's been quite exciting making the yogurt, it's like magic seeing it working!
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