Monthly Archives: May 2011
Making yogurt from yogurt is cool and awesome
Last week I made yogurt. I love the stuff. Mostly out of necessity — I love milk (and other milk-based products). But I’m lactose intolerant. Milk during breakfast is a sure way to get a bad day. When I drink too much milk, something dark and evil spwans inside me, making all these unearthly sounds, not too mention the horrid torture that is known as bloating. Thankfully I tolerate yogurt much better.
This is because lactose has been converted to lactic acid. Less lactose for the lactose intolerant is a good thing. Lactic acid is what gives the yogurt its tangy and slightly acidic flavor.
But why make yogurt yourself? You can do it for economic reasons. It’s cheaper to make your own. I also find that there is a mystical appeal in converting milk to yogurt, something akin to an alchemist transmutation. That’s a pretty good reason, but you see, I was bored at home. And well, it’s pretty cool.
I consulted some sources online (links below) and improvised.
In a nutshell, what needs to be done is: Mix some yogurt with live bacteria into milk. Let the bacteria multiply and do their thing. They’ll feast on the lactose and turn that into lactic acid. You have made more yogurt from some yogurt and a lot of milk.
But that’s cheating, you claim. And you’re right. Using yogurt to make more yogurt? What a cop-out. Well, you really need the bacteria that is inside the yogurt. You could opt to get it from other sources like supplements and powders sold elsewhere, but nothing beats the convenience of just buying yogurt (which is probably next to the milk in the grocery).
I only made a test batch with about a cup of milk. I’ll explain exactly what I used. Next time I will most likely scale up to 1 L. And on a important note, I did not have a food thermometer.
What I used:
plastic ice cream cups
Rice cooker with steamer attachment
Mug
250 mL Cowhead milk (you can use other types of milk, not sure about soy milk)
150 g Nestle Creamy Yogurt (use plain-flavored yogurt, make sure it has live bacteria)
clean spoon
aluminum foil
1.) Sterilize all equipment that you will be using. Wash your hands with soap, wear plastic gloves if you have got some. You can “clean” other containers by placing them in boiling water. Or if you will be using plastic containers that may melt, pour hot water on them and cover them.
2.) I transferred the milk to a clean mug (washed then sterilized). I then microwaved it for about five minutes, making sure it doesn’t boil. . From what I understand, it does two things. First, it kills off any unwanted bacteria that can cause your harm. Second, it causes proteins in the milk to denature. The claim is that the bacteria has better access to the lactose. Not sure if that’s true, needs to be verified. If the milk forms a skin on top, just remove it with something clean. Cover the top of the mug (or whatever you are using) with aluminum foil or plastic film.
3.) Allow the milk to cool down to almost room temperature. If it still feels warm, it may still be too hot. This may take some time so be patient. Go have a snack or something. (Or if you are in a rush, maybe you can put the mug in some cold water)
4.) Meanwhile, prepare your rice cooker with the steamer attachment. Fill the rice cooker with a lot of water, then turn it on with the steamer attachement. Don’t let the water start boiling. Feel the cover of the rice cooker. If it’s warm (and still bearable to the touch), turn off the rice cooker. The ideal temperature should be about 50 degrees Celsius, but not above 55. This higher temperature ensures that unwanted bacteria do not grow, but not high enough to kill the bacteria that is doing its job.
5.) Hopefully by now your milk has cooled down. Open your commercial yogurt and scoop out about 2-3 teaspoons per 250 mL of milk. Mix it well into the milk. Then pour it into clean ice cream cups. Cover the cups with foil or plastic film.
6.) Place the ice cream cups in to the steamer of your rice cooker. Cover the rice cooker with a cloth to keep the heat in. Wait for about 4-8 hours. Then take a peek to see if it looks like and smells like yogurt. If it does, then refrigerate it to cool and eat. If something smells and looks funky, throw it away!
7.) And voila, you have yogurt. Enjoy. Add sugar or honey if you don’t think it is sweet enough.
Troubleshooting notes (and sources):
