After the yogurt posts recently, several have asked about making Greek yogurt. For any who may have missed the post, I am now using the Cuisinart yogurt maker and I love it! I make a batch of yogurt at least every other day. Several readers ordered this yogurt maker and of those I’ve heard from, all are loving it. It’s probably been a decade since I took antibiotics and I’ve had two rounds in the past month and will probably have to take them again after the lithotripsy next week so I’m eating more yogurt than I would normally be eating, trying to keep the good bugs in my tummy happy.
Yogurt Maker
The Cuisinart yogurt maker makes it so easy to make perfect yogurt, but it does make fairly small batches. I guess that’s good because yogurt, at least homemade, is better if consumed within a couple of days of being made.
Starter for Next Batch
No matter what type of yogurt I’m going to make, the first thing to do once a batch is made is take out enough for the next batch’s starter.
Yogurt
This is the texture of the yogurt once it’s made. If I want Greek yogurt, I will strain it. There are several strainers available. If you’re a serious Greek yogurt lover and want the best strainer, even though it’s a bit expensive, the bouillon strainer is the best! I bought this strainer hoping it would work for the prickly pear juice so I wouldn’t have to strain through multiple layers of cheese cloth. I’ll have to wait to see how that works but it is amazing for yogurt.
Bouillon Strainer
I simply place the yogurt in the strainer and put the strainer in a big container that will capture the dripping liquid. I covered it with a dish towel and left it in the fridge for 4 or 5 hours.
Yogurt in the Fridge
When all the whey had strained out, I was left with almost a pint of whey and a pint of yogurt. This is from 4 cups of milk.
Yogurt and Whey
Removing the whey definitely changes the taste of the yogurt a bit. Of course, it makes it thicker but it also makes it less tart.
So, if I remove the whey, what am I going to do with it? You know I’m not going to pour it down the drain. Yogurt whey is high in calcium so if I have it when the tomatoes are thriving, I’ll pour a little of it around the tomato plants. Some day I’m going to try making ricotta . . maybe I’ll try that next week. Mostly, I just use it in place of water for my breadmaking.
Bread
For our after work snack today, we had yogurt with prickly pear jelly. That was a good treat and fairly healthy!
Deb A. says
I bought mine the other day. First batch is now in the COOL cycle. Do I have to leave it in the maker for the full 12 hours and then strain it or can I put it to strain in the fridge as soon as the FERMENT cycle is complete? Couldn’t seem to find that info and I don’t want to make us ill. I appreciate all the help you may be able to share.
Susan says
Fun! Ever since you talked about that Noosa Yogurt, I’ve been buying it when Fresh Market has a sale. It still isn’t cheap, but I only eat half of it each time, and the flavor is fabulous – any of them I’ve tried. My older son loves the mango, and I’m partial to the tart cherry. So how does your homemade batch compare to that plain yogurt flavor? (’cause I always lick the foil lid and I like the taste of the plain, too. =)
Tracy says
Noosa is a favorite at my house too. Our Costco sells a single serving size in a box of twelve. Almost guilt free! My favorites are Honey and Tart Cherry, Strawberry Rhubarb is a go to also. I’m interested in Judy’s answer – I was wondering if the starter used also has an effect on the flavor.
kaholly says
Hmm, I’ll have to share this post with my daughter! I think she might like to make her own yogurt!
Verna says
I’m hungry for yogurt now! I’ve been buying the Noosa (mostly strawberry rhubarb) since I read about it here, and it’s wonderful. I would love to make my own yogurt, so I’d also like to know how the homemade compares to Noosa.. If I could make something similar myself, I’d buy that yogurt maker today!