So Easy Crock Pot Yogurt
Why Homemade Yogurt?
Like most things homemade, yogurt you make yourself is better:
- It tastes better
- It's better for you (no preservatives, sugar or chemicals added)
- It's less expensive
- There's no packaging waste
I love making homemade yogurt!! I have to admit that my first two attempts at making yogurt in my crock pot failed dismally!
After some disappointment, and wanting to quit, I decided to give it one last try doing it a little differently, & I have to say I am one very happy yogurt maker!!
Plus I don't quit easily!! I love the challenge.
I love that homemade yogurt is so healthy for you. One of the main benefits apart from the protein, calcium, vitamins & minerals, are the probiotics. They are a good source of bacteria for the gut & intestines, promoting better digestion and an improved immune system. You also don't have all the added preservatives, flavoring agents and additives you get in store-bought yogurt.
So here we go! Step by step. Now this one worked for me. I tried heating the milk in the crock pot for 2 hours & cooling it down for 3, but it just would not work for me! It would not set. It is very important that the yogurt stays warm for as long as possible. I also am a bit impatient, so the less waiting I have to do the better!! This yogurt is so quick & easy to do. I have put a lot of research into yogurt making, so enjoy!
Step 1. Turn the crock pot on low to heat up. You must do this so your pot is at the correct temp before you add your milk.
Take out your starter yogurt to warm up a little before adding it to your warm milk. If you have frozen your starter you will need to thaw it out and drain any remaining whey.
Using a fresh starter will give you mild tasting yogurt. Using an older yogurt for your starter will give you a final result that has a more prominent sour note .
I use Mundella or Jalna (Jalna make these gorgeous little tiny pots of yogurt). Ideally you want one with the most number of cultures in it, & it must be all natural yogurt & fresh.
Step 2. Pour two liters or about 8 cups of Full Cream milk into a large saucepan & add 1/2 cup of powdered milk, (this is optional, I found this gave a much nicer, creamier yogurt. Alternatively you can Hold your milk at 85°C for thirty minutes before cooling and adding your starter. This is how brands that do not use pectin or other thickeners achieve thicker results. The extended heating changes the milk proteins, and enables them to remove more of the water in milk, you also lose some more water to evaporation).
You can use Low Fat Milk but the less fat the milk has, the thinner the yogurt will be.
Heat milk till it reaches about
85°C. stirring occasionally, you don't want to burn the milk.
You should see tiny bubble form in the surface. Your milk does not need to boil.
Step 3. Once your milk reaches temperature, remove the pot and put it in a sink with cold water. Making sure the water doesn't flow into the pot. (I don't bother adding ice now). This will help your milk cool down a lot faster. You want your milk to reach between 40°C-45°C (this is where the cultures reproduce themselves & consume the sugar found in milk, called lactose.
As a result, the milk thickens or curdles, and lactic acid is produced as a
byproduct. The lactic acid gives yogurt its "tangy" taste, and
preserves the milk from spoiling). I usually set my timer for 10 minutes so I don't forget to check it. Too hot a milk will kill off the cultures & too cool a milk will not allow enough heat to cultivate enough culture to make yogurt.
Step 4. Measure your starter into a glass bowl. You need two tablespoons per liter of milk, so I add 4 tablespoons. To this you add half a cup of the warmed milk and stir thoroughly.
Pour warm milk into your heated crock pot & then stir in the remaining milk and culture. Unplug your crock pot and put the lid back on.
Step 5. The incubation Process. lay out a large thick towel & on top of that i lay out a survival blanket that I have cut in half. This you can get from a chemist or camping store. I found this was the best way to keep the heat from escaping from the crock pot. It can also be used over again for more yogurt making. You can use your oven, or a warming mat also.
I pop my crock pot in my North facing window, this is the window that gets the most direct sun through the whole day. I start my yogurt in the morning that way I can leave it there all day. It is important not to disturb it during the incubation period. The milk needs to stay at an even 40-45°C while developing.
Now you need to let it sit for 7-10 hours. The longer you leave yogurt to cultivate the tangier the taste & the thicker it will be. I like to leave mine for 7 hours to lessen the tang factor as the kids don't like it much.
Step 6. Once the yogurt is finished culturing, place the crock pot in the fridge. this is important as it allows the yogurt to thicken up & set better. Do not disrupt the yogurt, I allow it to sit till the next morning.
I must say that when I realized my yogurt had set, I was doing a little dance around the kitchen, I was so excited!
Here it is.....thick yogurt.
Step 7. Ladle your yogurt into a colander lined with cheese cloth. This is optional. If you would like your yogurt thinner then you can go ahead and give your yogurt a good stir & ladle it into Sterilized Jars. Then pop it in the fridge.
I like thicker yogurt so I prefer to drain off some of the whey. The longer you leave it the thicker the yogurt becomes, so if you like Greek style yogurt leave it longer. You can see the whey in the glass bowl below, this you can use for:
- cooking cakes,pancakes, waffles, muffins, biscuits,
- Use it to lacto-ferment vegetables, condiments, sauerkraut, chutneys, jams.
- Freeze it for later
- Add it to soups and stews.
- Use it to cook your pastas, potatoes, oatmeal, or rice. Boiling the whey will cause it to lose it’s raw properties. However, if you feel like you are drowning in whey, this is a wonderful way to use it up and add extra flavor to the foods.
- Add it to homemade fruit smoothies or milkshakes.
Don't forget to set aside 1/2 cup of yogurt for your next batch. You can freeze it too.
So there you have it! The most amazing homemade natural yogurt.
You can then make your own fruit sauces to flavor it or drizzle honey on it, add muesli or anything else your little heart desires. Our favorite is strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce or mango sauce & tinned fruit. Or if your game you can learn how to bottle your own fruit and use that, it is simply endless what you could do.
Enjoy!!!
Kitty Kat xx
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