Making your own yoghurt is very straightforward and tremendously satisfying. It’s not necessarily cheaper than buying it in, but it is a lovely thing to do. The milk powder thickens the yoghurt, but if you prefer a creamier yogurt still, you can substitute 100ml of the milk with single cream.
Makes approx. 500 ml
2 heaped tablespoons organic live yoghurt
500 ml organic whole milk
3 tablespoons milk powder
Equipment
digital thermometer
1-litre Thermos flask
It is vital that everything is spotlessly clean when making yoghurt. To ensure your equipment is in perfect condition, place the whisk and metal spoon inside the mixing bowl and fill it to the brim with boiling water before use. Dip the thermometer tip in, too. Pour the water away, dry the equipment using a clean tea towel or kitchen paper before using.
1. Place the yoghurt in a spotlessly clean large glass or ceramic mixing bowl and allow it to come up to room temperature (approximately 20–30 minutes).
2. Pour the milk into a clean saucepan and heat very gently over a very low heat until it reaches exactly 46C – don’t let it get any warmer than this or it will kill the live cultures in the yoghurt when the two are combined. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle the milk powder over the surface and whisk it in thoroughly. Carefully pour the warm milk over the yoghurt in the bowl and stir well with a metal spoon.
3. Pour the yoghurt into the Thermos flask. Screw on the lid and set aside on the kitchen work surface overnight.
4. By morning your milk should have thickened and turned into yoghurt. Decant it into jars or a Tupperware container, cover with clingfilm or a lid and store in the fridge. Eat within five days.
Recipe from Fermented by Charlotte Pike, photography by Tara Fisher (Kyle Books)
Use this yogurt to make the LEMON AND RASPBERRY YOGHURT LOAF CAKE recipe on page 59 of September's The Simple Things. On sale - 26 August 2015.
