Things To Note Before Making Homemade Yoghurt
Homemade yogurt is really easy to make, and there are many different recipes out there you can try. But if you’re looking for a quick fix, you’re better off running to the store because a good yogurt takes time!
One great thing about owning an InstantPot is the variety of things you can make in it, and if you’ve been itching to try it out, you can make your own yogurt. You don’t have to use a special pot or even a yogurt maker, but they sure make it easier!
There are several recipes to try; you just have to find one that works for you. You need to know some basic things before you delve into research about creating your own at-home brand of yogurt.
Starter
Unsplash
Yogurt is pretty easy to make, but you do need a starter. This starter is a culture of bacteria that transforms milk into the creamy deliciousness we know as yogurt.
You can buy these as a dry starter for $22 on Amazon, or you can even raid your fridge for the yogurt you already have. If you’re using a starter from an existing batch, make sure the label reads “live” or “active” cultures.
Special equipment
Unsplash
Special equipment like InstantPots and yogurt maker does make the work a lot easier as far as it goes. If you don’t use them, you’ll have to use your oven to incubate your yogurt.
This gets tricky because the incubation takes about eight hours, any sooner, and your yogurt won’t be as thick and creamy. Using your oven as an incubator might mean you can’t use it for anything else at all, so you’ll have to plan your dinner carefully!
Type of milk
Unsplash
You can use your pick of milk as long as it isn’t ultra-pasteurized, but full cream milk does work best! If you’re looking for a dairy alternative, you can use coconut milk to make delicious dairy-free yogurt.
For added creaminess, you can add powdered milk to your mixture. Bear in mind that skimmed milk and any other milk that isn’t full cream will give you a thinner yogurt.
Storing it
Unsplash
After making your yogurt, you’ll have to store it in glass jars in the fridge. You and your family might really enjoy your first batch of homemade yogurt, and it might be gone in the first two days, but if it’s not, you can’t keep it too long.
The general rule of thumb for homemade products is not to keep them for more than ten days! If you can’t find a use for yogurt and you’ve made quite a large batch, you can either freeze it or sample it out to your friends and family.
Flavoring your yogurt
Unsplash
You might be tempted to throw in some flavoring while it’s incubating to enhance the flavor; it’s not the best idea because it can mess with the method. Only add fruit to your yogurt after it’s incubated; you can do it before or after it goes in the fridge.
Yogurt is excellent for your gut and has many benefits! If you enjoy making your own things from scratch over the convenience of store-bought, you’ll enjoy making your own yogurt!