Once more into the breach.
This time, I used a mix of skim milk and Simply Smart, which is a skim-plus type milk. I didn't stir it at all, and when I added the yogurt starter I was very gentle and just slipped it into the milk. I incubated it in a bowl inside my crockpot filled with water. I set the temperature to "warm" and left the lid half off to maintain the proper temperature. It came out much less grainy, but still not as creamy as I was hoping for. I have seen posts that showed the drained result being whipped with an electric beater, so that's my next attempt. The taste is great, though, and it's still less than a fourth the cost of the Fage.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Adventures in Yogurtland, part one.
The boyfriend and I have been doing the Nutrisystem thing since about August last year. We've lost a total of 65 pounds, with about 120 to go (mostly mine). The diet requires that you eat a certain amount of non-fat dairy to make sure you get the necessary amount of calcium and protein, so we buy a lot of Greek-style yogurt. Since it's not cheap, I decided to try making it at home.
Four cups of skim milk, heated to 180 degrees in the microwave, to kill off competing bacteria. Cool down to about 100 degrees and add around a quarter cup of starter (Fage non-fat). Culture at about 100 degrees for 8 to 12 hours. Strain for a bit through a mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter. Save the whey - it's usable, as liquid in biscuits or pancakes or bread. The result was about 2 cups of yogurt and an equal amount of whey. That amount of yogurt costs $4 when I buy it. Making it cost me 84 cents.
The taste of the resulting yogurt was great. The texture was a bit grainy, more like ricotta than the rich creaminess of Greek yogurt. I did some checking on-line, and apparently I made three mistakes: while heating the milk to 180 degrees I stirred it, when I added the starter I stirred it thoroughly, and the incubation temperature was too high.
Stay tuned for Adventures in Yogurtland, part two. But while you're waiting, here is my non-fat dip recipe:
4 oz. non-fat cream cheese
12 oz. non-fat Greek yogurt
Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Gradually blend in yogurt. When thoroughly incorporated, add dip flavoring. Lipton's Onion soup mix, Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix, whatever, to flavor 2 cups of sour cream equivalent. Chill.
If you use Fage, the fat levels and cholesterol are extremely low.
Four cups of skim milk, heated to 180 degrees in the microwave, to kill off competing bacteria. Cool down to about 100 degrees and add around a quarter cup of starter (Fage non-fat). Culture at about 100 degrees for 8 to 12 hours. Strain for a bit through a mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter. Save the whey - it's usable, as liquid in biscuits or pancakes or bread. The result was about 2 cups of yogurt and an equal amount of whey. That amount of yogurt costs $4 when I buy it. Making it cost me 84 cents.
The taste of the resulting yogurt was great. The texture was a bit grainy, more like ricotta than the rich creaminess of Greek yogurt. I did some checking on-line, and apparently I made three mistakes: while heating the milk to 180 degrees I stirred it, when I added the starter I stirred it thoroughly, and the incubation temperature was too high.
Stay tuned for Adventures in Yogurtland, part two. But while you're waiting, here is my non-fat dip recipe:
4 oz. non-fat cream cheese
12 oz. non-fat Greek yogurt
Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Gradually blend in yogurt. When thoroughly incorporated, add dip flavoring. Lipton's Onion soup mix, Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix, whatever, to flavor 2 cups of sour cream equivalent. Chill.
If you use Fage, the fat levels and cholesterol are extremely low.
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