MAKE YOUR OWN

First off, I have been asked about "make-your-own-yoghurt".

Let me first say that there are many variations, and I have always made mine with  plain UHT full cream or organic milk. Although I am sensitive to lactose, I'm not sensitive to yoghurt, perhaps because of all the more than friendly bacteria.  I do think you should be able to make SOY, Goat or even Rice milk yoghurt, and I will try to do this on my next batch and let you know.

The last few weeks I have bought my yoghurt because when I have been doing my usual speed-shopping, I have been able to buy Yoplait in the big 1 litre tub for 80cents (yes, 80cents) because it is past its use-by date.  This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard because with yoghurt we try to encourage bacteria....  Anyway musn't grumble, I have had a couple of amazing bargains.

TO MAKE YOUR OWN YOGHURT,

YOU WILL NEED...
1 litre of milk (you can try soy etc).  If you can get milk straight from the cow you are exceedingly lucky and use that.
Half a cup of powdered full cream milk if you want a really solid yoghurt you can slice, rather than a creamy, sloppy yoghurt.
Half a tiny tub of plain, "set" yoghurt (usually less than $2 - green and white tub, "Peters" I think, but any brand will do).  In your second batch you will use the same quantity of your first batch as a starter culture.
A glass or ceramic mixing jug or bowl,
A saucepan larger than the jug or bowl to stand the mix in overnight
and a big towel, or baby blanket.

HOW TO:
Get your ingredients and accessories ready.
Rinse the ceramic or glass mixing bowl in very hot water.
Warm the milk up to blood heat (about the same temp as a baby's bottle) and put in the mixing bowl - if you have a microwave you can do it all in the one container.
If you are going to add the powdered milk,  prepare and add now. Take out about half a cup of the warm milk,  and mix the powdered milk in it to a cream, then add back to the milk in the bowl.
Add half a tiny tub of set yogurt,
Mix thoroughly.

The trick now is to keep the yoghurt warm.

Stand your jug or mixing bowl containing the yoghurt in a saucepan of hot but not boiling water to about half way up the bowl.  Cover the mouth of the jug with a tea towel folded double, and then wrap the saucepan (with the jug standing in the water) totally in the baby blanket or big bath towel.  Anything to keep the warmth in.

Stand somewhere warm (not in the oven) overnight or until set.  I used to have a combustion stove, and standing the yoghurt right on the coolest edge overnight was perfect.  Hardly warm, but just perfect for the yoghurt.   You can then add fruit, honey or herbs, whatever you want.

I have made this sound complex, but it is really easy once you have done it.  Remember we are dealing with good bacteria here, and we want as many as possible to survive and inhabit the yoghurt, and warmth is the key.

If for some reason your first attempt does not set, don't throw it away (and most certainly try again).  It tastes lovely instead of milk over cereals or fruit.

TO MAKE YOUR OWN YOGHURT CREAM CHEESE
First make your yoghurt as above.
Then mix in whatever fruit or herbs you want to flavour the cheese with
Then hang it overnight in one of our NUT MILK BAGS (see our shop at www.yogabeautiful.com.au
In the morning scoop it out into a container - it's your very own, home made, cream cheese.  You can also use supermarket yogurt past its use-by date for cheese too.