Your Newest Cooking Gadget/Cookbook/etc.

Learn how to make Spring Wine and aliantha cookies.

Moderator: Menolly

User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

Yup, they do. Altho they look increasingly cruddy as they become seasoned. But that's a side issue...
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
[Syl]
Unfettered One
Posts: 13017
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2002 12:36 am
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by [Syl] »

"It is not the literal past that rules us, save, possibly, in a biological sense. It is images of the past. Each new historical era mirrors itself in the picture and active mythology of its past or of a past borrowed from other cultures. It tests its sense of identity, of regress or new achievement against that past.”
-George Steiner
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

So after having Carla's homemade yogurt at the Denver Seafest, I decided to get a yogurt maker.

The one I bought from Amazon.com came with two packs of starter. (Each pack makes a total of 6 quarts/liters of yogurt.) The directions indicated that this particular type of starter requires a much longer incubation period -- 12 to 15 hours, according to the package -- than "normal" yogurt does. So I started the batch and let it do its thing. Eight hours into the process, the cover popped off the machine. It looked like the yogurt was done, but there was a lot of liquid (whey), so I wasn't sure. So I put the top back on and let it cook for another hour or so, when I just couldn't stand waiting any more and unplugged the machine.

There was still a *lot* of whey. So I tried to mix it back in -- no luck. I guess I shoulda drained it off. Anyhow, I've now got a batch of runny and kinda lumpy yogurt. It tastes good, tho. :)

Clearly this is going to be a trial-and-error process. Belatedly, I looked at the manual again. It indicated that if you have a lot of whey, you probably let the yogurt process too long. I'm unclear how 8 hours for a 12-to-15-hour procedure is "too long", but anyway. I guess I'll have to check it after 6 hours next time and see if it's done.

Here's the model I bought.
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24066
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Post by Menolly »

Oh nice, enjoy!

One of these days I'm going to give AB's yogurt making process a try. I figure I'll use Stoneyfield Farms plain yogurt as my starter; I simply love that brand.
Image
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

I gather that keeping the going-to-be-yogurt at a constant temperature is the key to making it work. (I've made enough yeast dough that the rest of the process seemed easy to me.) The thing I bought basically keeps water heated to the right temperature around the yogurt container. Sounds easier to me than his trial-and-error with a heating pad. But he's right that the yogurt maker is one more single-purpose appliance to take up space in the kitchen. :( I'm hoping to offset that by using it a lot. I've been going through more than a quart a week, just bringing a cup to work with me every day, and it seems like I'm constantly running out.

I think I'll try doing the next batch with a half-cup of a good yogurt -- maybe a Greek yogurt. I usually just buy the store brand but I'm willing to splurge a bit for this project. :biggrin: Once you've got a good result, you don't ever have to buy starter again -- just use a half-cup of the last batch.

With this batch, I used skim milk and a cup of milk powder, and I'll do that again next time.

The yogurt maker came with a cheesecloth bag for making yogurt cheese, so I'm going to try that, too. I've made yogurt cheese before; I had a plastic cone-shaped device that I bought somewhere. You would put the cone on top of a cup and dump in a cup of yogurt, and the whey would drain out into the cup.
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
Wyldewode
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 6414
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:37 am
Location: lost in the wood

Post by Wyldewode »

Oh man. . . the Greek yogurt I like is $5 a quart, and I can't justify it. I don't know if I should even buy a yogurt maker, since I'll go on and off kicks with foods.

On the other hand, I bought my Mom a yogurt maker, and she uses it at least once a week.
Image

Image
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

Yeah, Lyr, I can't justify the cost of the Greek yogurt either. 8O I've been buying the store brand, which is a little over $2/quart. I dunno whether making my own is cheaper -- a half-gallon of milk makes a half-gallon of yogurt but costs about the same as a quart of store-bought yogurt. But I also add the dry milk powder, and then there's the cost of electricity to run the thing, not to mention the cost of the yogurt maker. But I've been eating about a cup of yogurt a day, so the machine should eventually pay for itself.

Anyhow, batch #2 was a resounding success. :biggrin: I realized that for batch #1, I had the yogurt maker on the countertop above the dishwasher, and I'd had the dishwasher going for at least part of the "cooking" cycle. That counter gets pretty hot when the dishwasher is running, so I figure that sped up the process quite a bit. This time, I moved the device to the counter between the fridge and the oven, started it before I went to bed and left it do its thing overnight. It still didn't take 12 to 15 hours -- more like 9 or so --but the result was very tasty.

Again this time, I used the starter that came with the device, as I'd forgotten to get any regular yogurt and didn't want to use any from the first batch.

Today, I remembered to pick up some nonfat yogurt from the store. I got Dannon because I couldn't find nonfat Greek yogurt. (I'm sure they make it -- I just didn't see it at the two stores I went to today.) I will fire up the machine tomorrow and will let you know how it comes out.

The most time-intensive part of the prep is cooling the milk after you've heated it. It took about 1.5 hours to cool the milk in the fridge this time, as the fancy-pants starter requires the milk to be no hotter than 77 degrees Farenheit (25 degrees Celsius). However, if you're using yogurt as a starter, you only have to cool the milk to 112 degrees Farenheit (44 Celsius). That should save me at least a half-hour of milk-cooling time, in addition to the faster incubation period.

Oh! I also made yogurt cheese this time (which is the main reason why this batch went so fast :) ). It's yummy -- and a *much* nicer consistency than yer fat-free cream cheese. I can do most fat-free dairy, but the cream cheese looks a little too much like plastic....
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
Wyldewode
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 6414
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:37 am
Location: lost in the wood

Post by Wyldewode »

Yum, Ali! I won't eat fat-free cream cheese. . . just too fake for me. But now you have me craving greek yogurt. . . 8O
Image

Image
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24066
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Post by Menolly »

I finally tried greek yogurt for the first time today.
Fage (?) brand. Plain whole milk with honey on the side.
Man! That's practically yogurt cheese already! Who needs the honey?

Which brand is the one you prefer, ali?
Image
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

I think that's the same brand I've seen around here, Menolly. Yup, very thick and yummy stuff.

Which brings me to the report on batch #3, with the Dannon nonfat starter. And it's fine. :) I was right -- the process is *much* quicker with this type of starter. Cooling time was much reduced, and a 4-hour incubation period is probably about right. I actually let it go about 4 3/4 hours and it had already started to get that too-done look. This time, however, I was smart enough to pour off the whey. I'm learning! :lol: The consistency with the other starter is somewhat creamier, perhaps, but it's hard to tell since I did over-incubate this stuff a tad. And the time saved makes this a winner -- I can make a batch in the evening after work.

And now we have more yogurt than we know what to do with. :biggrin: But that's okay, it keeps for 3 weeks in the fridge; I'm sure I'll finish it before it goes bad.
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24066
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Post by Menolly »

ali, when I was vegetarian, waaaaay back in the day, one of my favorite things was a yogurt sauce that was heated plain yogurt and some brewers yeast stirred in. Perhaps a shake or two of Spike and some Dr. Bronners. I mostly served that over steamed broccoli florets and brown rice.

I haven't made that in over two decades though, so now that I am an omnivore again, I can't really say if I would still like it. But yogurt is a terrific base for various sauces.
Image
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

Good to know, thanks! I have used nonfat plain yogurt for decades as a substitute for sour cream. Back in the day, there was no such thing as nonfat sour cream, so if you were cutting calories you didn't have much choice.
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
Wyldewode
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 6414
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:37 am
Location: lost in the wood

Post by Wyldewode »

Ali, let us know if you try a batch with greek yogurt as a starter. :)
Image

Image
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

Will do!
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

Greek yogurt as starter: The good news is that it works! :lol: I've now made 3 batches from the Greek yogurt starter, and am finally getting around to posting about it. :oops:

Batch #1: Very smooth-tasting for yogurt, none of the "sour" taste at all. Kinda runny, tho, like I hadn't quite let it "cook" long enough. I also forgot to mix in the milk powder until kind of late in the process, and not all of it blended in, which might also have affected the consistency. Vowed to try again.

Batch #2: Perfect! I let it incubate a little longer. The consistency was *very* good, and it still lacked the tangy-ness.

Batch #3: Good consistency, but the tang is back. Ah well. It's still good yogurt.

Anyway, if you're looking for a justification to spend the $$ for a yogurt maker, there you go: you can make Greek-style yogurt with it. :)

Keep in mind that I'm making fat-free yogurt; the consistency issues would likely go away with whole milk as a base.
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24066
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Post by Menolly »

ali, the greek-style yogurt I've had all say it is strained yogurt, like yogurt cheese I guess. Are you straining the yogurt after it's finished? Or just letting it incubate longer?

I am assuming you are using your finished yogurt as a starter for the next batch. Perhaps after one time doing so, that is why the tang is returning?
Image
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24066
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Post by Menolly »

Ooo...

I did some searching, since there was a request on my freecycle group for inexpensive Greek recipes for an international food day at an elementary school. I came across this recipe for homemade Greek-style yogurt. It sounds even easier than AB's method. The only thing I am unsure of, and I only think of it because someone mentions it in the comments on the page, is if the directions do mean a pilot light when it says "in an oven with the light on." If that's the case, since I have an all electric kitchen, I guess this method is out for me.
Image
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

Well now. I do strain the cooled milk when I pour it into the crock. I don't have a double boiler, so I use a regular saucepan to heat the milk. So some milk always sticks to the bottom (less so with the heavy-gauge Anolon pot, but still). So I strain it to keep the "crust" out of the crock. In fact, that's how I found out I hadn't mixed in all the milk powder in Greek Batch #1 -- the unincorporated powder got caught in the strainer.

I dunno that it would affect the yogurt's consistency to strain the finished product. You don't really strain yogurt to make cheese -- you wrap the yogurt in cheesecloth and let the whey drain out. I suppose you could put your finished yogurt in cheesecloth and just strain out *some* of the whey, but then you'd just have drier yogurt, not necessarily creamier yogurt. But I could be wrong about that.

I assumed that "Greek-style" meant the type of bacteria used for fermentation. I noticed when I compared the Dannon cup to the Fago cup that the Greek yogurt bacilli are different (don't ask me which company uses what, because I don't remember now! :lol: ). The fancy-pants powdered probiotic starter that came with the machine uses a different bacteria than Dannon does, too. (And different again than Fago, tho I *think* both Fago and the probiotic starter use acidophilus plus something else. I'd have to compare the packages again to be sure.)

It did occur to me that my last batch might have been more tangy due to letting it incubate too long. I'm going to give it one more go with this stuff and see what happens.

And you're exactly right -- I'm saving a half-cup of the last batch to use as starter for the next batch. :)

Anyhow, I'm not so much interested in recreating Greek yogurt as I am in making something edible. :) The tangy taste isn't overpowering; it was just surprising, after the previous two batches lacked it.
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
aliantha
blueberries on steroids
Posts: 17865
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2002 7:50 pm
Location: NOT opening up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Post by aliantha »

Menolly wrote:Ooo...

I did some searching, since there was a request on my freecycle group for inexpensive Greek recipes for an international food day at an elementary school. I came across this recipe for homemade Greek-style yogurt. It sounds even easier than AB's method. The only thing I am unsure of, and I only think of it because someone mentions it in the comments on the page, is if the directions do mean a pilot light when it says "in an oven with the light on." If that's the case, since I have an all electric kitchen, I guess this method is out for me.
No, you could do it with an electric oven; you'd just have to use an oven thermometer to figure out which setting keeps the yogurt at the proper temperature (AB's method gives you that temperature, I think). The key is to keep the crock evenly warm while the yogurt incubates. All the yogurt maker does is automate the process with a warm-water bath for the crock. In fact, just leaving the oven light on *might* be enough to heat the oven sufficiently -- again, testing with an oven thermometer would tell you for sure.

(I used to do the "with the pilot on" trick for raising bread dough, btw. The oven is warm and draft-free. ;) )

And -- hey! -- it looks like what she calls Greek-style yogurt, I call yogurt cheese. :) (I feel her pain about where to hang the cheesecloth bag. I didn't bother to refrigerate the yogurt while hanging it -- just hung it from the stove hood by a binder clip and left a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Turned out fine. But I didn't leave it overnight.)
Image
Image

EZ Board Survivor

"Dreaming isn't good for you unless you do the things it tells you to." -- Three Dog Night (via the GI)

https://www.hearth-myth.com/
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24066
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 7 times
Contact:

Post by Menolly »

*nodding*

Precisely. As I said, the FAGE says right on the packaging "strained yogurt." So I think between using the FAGE as a starter, incubating it a little less, and then straining it, you may get the thickness and flavor you want without the tang.

...maybe...
Image
Post Reply

Return to “The Galley”