What is yogurt made from at the factory? How to make yogurt at home. How to cook natural yogurt in the oven

Even those children who turn their noses up at dairy products enjoy eating yogurt. It’s rare to meet someone who doesn’t like this delicacy. Culinary experts joke that most delicious foods are unhealthy. But yogurt is an exception. After all, it is both tasty and healthy. Especially if you cook it yourself. Today, more and more people are learning about how to make yogurt at home. It is prepared by young mothers, athletes and simply those who adhere to the principles of healthy eating.

Products for making yogurt

Before you make yogurt at home, you should take care of purchasing the highest quality ingredients.

Let's start, perhaps With milk. Ideal for preparing homemade fermented milk product is factory pasteurized. When purchasing, do not forget to pay attention to the date, otherwise, instead of the desired result, we risk getting curdled milk of dubious quality. Why is this important? For all fermented milk products, including yogurt, the rule applies - the higher the fat content, the lower the acidity. Most ready-made starter cultures are designed for milk with a fat content ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 percent. Using a framework with such indicators will provide maximum guarantees that everything will work out. This milk does not need to be boiled beforehand, because it is pasteurized. Many lovers of homemade yogurt use only raw materials from dairies to prepare their favorite delicacy. You can also use regular milk. But before you make homemade yogurt, you will have to boil it and cool it to the desired temperature. It is impossible to determine fat content by eye. If it is known that the milk did not pass through the separator, it is advisable to dilute it with boiled water. You cannot buy such raw materials on spontaneous markets! Best option- purchasing from familiar farmers, whose products do not raise doubts about the quality and proper control by the sanitary service. And if you use baked milk instead of regular milk, you can get a product that resembles fermented baked milk, but with a much healthier composition.

Choosing a starter is no less responsible. It's a good idea to try everything and settle on the one you like best. You can get it in the dairy section of the supermarket, specialized health food stores, and some pharmacies. The starter must be fresh and its packaging must not be damaged under any circumstances.

Physics and chemistry of the process

Those who are not just interested in how to make yogurt at home, but also delve into the technology, probably know what happens inside the yogurt maker. Warm milk becomes a habitat for microflora. Bacteria grow and multiply, producing special enzymes. The original product completely changes its structure, acquiring new properties.

How to make yogurt in a yogurt maker

The scheme of actions is quite simple. Let the milk warm up. It is advisable to use a thermometer, because not everyone can determine the temperature by touch. And we need a very specific one. Which one exactly - the sourdough manufacturer will tell you. Most bacteria begin to be active in milk at a temperature of about 40 degrees.

If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use a method that is often used by young mothers: pour a few drops on the inside of the elbow. The milk should be hot, but not burn the skin. There is absolutely no need to boil a pasteurized product. If you use regular milk, bring it to a boil under the lid and let it cool. And too low and too high temperature The environment can destroy the bacteria - and the yogurt will not work.

Wash the yogurt maker, cups and all utensils used in the process thoroughly and pour boiling water over them. You can disinfect everything you need in a double boiler - hot steam will deal with unnecessary microflora no worse than boiling water.

Dissolve the starter in warm water, add it to the milk, stir thoroughly. You can use a blender or mixer. Pour into glasses. They need to be loosely covered with lids, and the yogurt maker itself should be closed. The yogurt will take from 6 to 12 hours to prepare. After cooling to room temperature, the glasses should be placed in the refrigerator.

What not to do

Before making yogurt at home, you should pay attention to some taboos. The main rule is that you cannot add anything other than milk and sourdough to the yogurt maker! Sugar, fruits, berries and any other filler are added to the finished product. Any additives disrupt the fermentation process and most often lead to spoilage of yogurt.

It is also not worth conducting any other experiments at the initial stage.

Recipe for yogurt with kefir starter

If there is no ready-made purchased sourdough, but your heart asks delicate dessert- no problem! You can make a wonderful product from bio-yogurt or kefir in a yogurt maker. Homemade yogurt will also work. To do this, dilute a glass of store-bought fermented milk in milk heated to 40 degrees. This must be done carefully so that the starter does not curl. It is best to add milk to the fermented milk base one tablespoon at a time, gradually stirring. It is enough to take both liquids in equal quantities, then the mixture can be poured into the rest of the milk. The fermentation process will take about 12 hours. The usefulness of such a product cannot be compared with healthy homemade yogurt. But it tastes great too.

Preparing yogurt in a thermos

Don't have a yogurt maker? It's not scary either. Let's make it in a thermos. The proportions of the products coincide with those regulated classic recipe yogurt. The heated milk with the starter dissolved in it should be poured into a thermos and left alone overnight. In the morning there will be a wonderful dessert inside.

How do you know if everything worked out?

Those who have just begun to comprehend the science of making homemade fermented milk sometimes wonder: “Am I doing everything right?” Without more experienced helpers, it can sometimes be difficult to determine whether the yogurt has turned out well. Don't be nervous, we'll figure it out now. The main sign that something has gone wrong is the presence of “flakes”. If the milk has curdled, it means there was a technological error somewhere. This may occur due to violation of sanitary requirements or temperature conditions. Simply put, unwashed dishes can help milk go sour. And too high a temperature will only speed up the process. There is no need to throw away sour yogurt - it will turn into cottage cheese. It is also suitable for making homemade baked goods - it can replace kefir in any recipe.

A pleasant smell, delicate consistency, characteristic taste are the best signs that everything worked out!

Yogurt recipes: cereal, nut, fruit

You can enjoy this delicacy in its pure form. Thick, viscous, aromatic yogurt is completely self-sufficient and tasty. But why not treat yourself? After all, it can be turned into a real delicacy! This can be done with the help of flavoring and healthy additives.

We put away fruit syrup, store-bought jam, “Condensed Milk” dessert, caramel topping and other chemical delights. This doesn’t go well with our super-healthy yogurt! Our option: homemade jam, fresh berries and fruits, condensed milk, honey, nuts, cereal flakes. All this can be used to flavor a dessert. Moreover, you can throw whole berries into a glass, or you can first crush them in a blender. You will get delicious fruit yogurt. Among the seasonings, vanilla, cinnamon, and saffron go well with it. You can decorate with a fresh mint leaf. Along with sweets, you can also prepare salty yogurt by adding finely grated fresh cucumbers, chopped greens, chopped bell pepper. It should be remembered that you can add fruits, nuts and even seasonings only immediately before use. You should not store such a product in the refrigerator, since all additives contribute to further fermentation.

How to store?

Yogurt, like all fermented milk products, is a perishable product. You can store it for no more than two days - and only in the refrigerator. Before making yogurt at home, it is advisable to plan your menu in advance. After all, this product is most useful when eaten fresh, immediately after preparation. It is not recommended to take a glass or two with you on a walk, especially in the summer heat! A healthy and tasty product can very quickly turn into poison in the heat.

Therefore, it is advisable to eat yogurt fresh. It's best to do this in the morning. This product can energize and strengthen your immune system for the whole day.

In a modern supermarket you can find a large assortment of fermented milk products. Various packaging, flavors and prices of yoghurts, sour cream and kefir leave no room for imagination. The main question that all yogurt lovers ask is to evaluate its quality and benefits.

Store-bought fermented milk products contain impurities and preservatives that negatively affect their beneficial properties. To leave all doubts about the yogurt you plan to consume, you can make it at home from natural products. There are many recipes for making yoghurt - healthy and delicious product, but the cooking principle is the same for everyone.

The main thing for homemade yogurt is how to make it while preserving all the beneficial properties of fermented milk products. In order for the difficult mission of preparing such a product to be crowned with unconditional success, you will need:

• Milk;
• Leaven;
• Banks;
• Pot.

Yogurt tastes better from fattier milk. Sourdough starters can be different - you can use sour cream, store-bought yogurt, or special starter powders that can be purchased at any pharmacy. Yogurt for fermentation is chosen without dyes or flavors, and most often they take natural white one, with a shelf life of no more than seven days. Sourdough starters sold in pharmacies are used according to the instructions and recommendations indicated on the packaging. Even a young and inexperienced housewife can make yogurt at home.

Whole milk is first brought to a boil and cooled to a temperature of 40 degrees. This temperature is considered optimal for the proper “working” of the starter. The starter is mixed with milk, and the resulting mixture is poured into sterile jars. You can ferment milk on a radiator or in a pan of hot water, but it is difficult to achieve a high quality product in this way. Achieve optimal temperature For proper and quick fermentation without special equipment it is also quite difficult.

Cooking in a yogurt maker

For convenient, fast and proper preparation To make a homemade fermented milk product, it is best to use a special electric device. The peculiarity of such a device is that it maintains the necessary, optimal temperature for proper fermentation throughout the entire period of preparing yogurt. In addition, many yogurt makers are equipped with a timer that turns off the device after the cooking process is completed. How to make yogurt in a yogurt maker is described in detail in the instructions for the device.

The dishes that come with the yogurt maker are convenient, have lids included, and not only allow you to conveniently dose dairy product, but after cooking it is convenient to store in the refrigerator.

Cooking in a slow cooker

Let's figure out how to make yogurt in a slow cooker with and without an additional option? Many modern models have a special function for making yogurt. In this case, you need to follow the instructions and, having prepared the milk and starter, poured into portioned jars, turn on the necessary program for preparing yogurt. The multicooker itself will regulate the temperature and cooking time of the fermented milk product.

You can make homemade yogurt in multicooker models without a special function. To do this, you need to prepare a multicooker and portioned jars. Preheated and mixed milk with starter is poured into sterile containers. The jars are covered cling film and secure it with rubber bands.

Place a small cotton towel on the bottom of the multicooker bowl, on which the prepared jars are placed. Add water to the multicooker bowl to the level of the milk mixture so that when heated, the water does not cover the portion containers. The multicooker must be turned on to the “Heating” mode and set for about 20 minutes. After heating is complete, turn off the multicooker and wait about an hour without opening the lid. Then repeat the “Heating” mode for another 20 minutes, turn off the multicooker and leave the containers until they cool completely. The finished yogurt is placed in the refrigerator for two hours to harden.

Yogurt can be prepared either without additives or with different flavoring properties. Sweet yogurt can be obtained by adding sugar, honey, or condensed milk to milk before fermentation. You can also add various fresh fruits and jams to yogurt. To do this you can take small quantity milk and grind the fruit in a blender until smooth.

Yogurt recipes

There are two main recipes for making yogurt. The first recipe is based on preparing the product without the use of special starters. For preparation, choose a jar of store-bought yogurt without fillers.

So, how to make yogurt, a recipe for making a homemade product:

Ingredients for making homemade yogurt without special starters:

• Store-bought yogurt (secondary starter) -100 grams.

During the preparation process, the milk (if it is store-bought) just needs to be heated to 40 degrees, and if the milk is homemade, it needs to be brought to a boil and cooled to a temperature of 40 degrees.

The average fermentation time for homemade yogurt is 6-8 hours. There is no need to keep it for more than the allowed time, as the product will turn out sour and tasteless.

Ingredients for preparing yoghurt with special starter:

• Milk, high fat content - 1 liter;
• Sourdough portion - 1 pack.

The cooking process is similar previous recipe, only instead of liquid yogurt they use dry starter. After making delicious homemade yoghurt, 150 grams can be left for re-fermenting. If used frequently, it is recommended to renew the starter once a month.

Step-by-step recipe for homemade yogurt

Let's start preparing yogurt by sterilizing the jars.

Now you need to heat the milk to 85 degrees and make sure it doesn’t burn.

Bring the milk to the desired temperature and remove it from the heat.

Now lower the pan into the sink or other convenient container with cold water and cool the milk to 50 degrees.

It's time to add the starter.

Add store-bought yogurt to a small bowl.

Add 2 cups of chilled milk.

Mix the contents of the bowl and add it to the pan with the rest of the milk.

Mix so that the yoghurt turns out equally good in all containers. And pour it into jars.

We close the lids - make sure that they tightly cover the neck of the jars.

We pour water into the travel refrigerator to a level of approximately three centimeters, the water temperature is 50 degrees.

Close the lid and leave for about three hours.

After three hours, take out the jars and put them in the refrigerator to cool. The yogurt is basically ready, but you can wait longer and it will turn out thicker.

This is what yogurt you made yourself should look like.

With a little patience, it turns out that making delicious homemade yogurt is not so difficult.

It is best to use fresh cow's milk. In order to reduce the fat content of this product, I first collected the cream from it. Sourdough starter with bacteria can be purchased at a supermarket, pharmacy or specialty health food store. It is worth choosing a trusted manufacturer. Utensils you will need are a saucepan, spoons, and containers for pouring the finished product.

Yogurt from milk at home: recipe with photos step by step

Cooking time: 10-12 hours

Number of servings: 2 liters

Ingredients:

• Milk - 2 l.
• Sourdough – 1 package
• Powdered sugar - to taste
• Additives for yogurt - fruits, jam, dried fruits, nuts, etc.

Step-by-step photo recipe on how to make yogurt from milk at home without a yogurt maker:

Very important point When preparing yogurt at home, the sterility of the utensils used is important, since fermented milk products are a suitable habitat not only for beneficial bacteria, but also for dangerous microorganisms. Therefore, all used equipment must be boiled or sterilized in an oven or steamer.

The milk needs to be boiled for several minutes. To prevent it from burning, pour a little water into the bottom of the pan. We collect the resulting foam. When using store-bought pasteurized milk, it is a good idea to bring it to a boil again.

Then the milk should be cooled to a temperature of 38-45⁰C. If you don't have a thermometer, you can dip your finger into the milk and count to ten. If the milk is hot, but does not bake, then you can proceed to further actions.

Slowly add the powdered starter into the milk so that it is evenly distributed in the liquid, stirring with a spoon.

If you use a yogurt maker or multicooker to prepare yogurt, then just place the preliminary preparation in the bowl and select the required mode. But to make yogurt you can do without special electrical appliances. To do this, wrap the container with milk in a warm blanket or towel and leave it in a warm place for 8-10 hours. You can also use a thermos.

After time, the yogurt should have a thick consistency. To make its appearance more attractive, the finished yogurt needs to be beaten with a whisk or blender.

The resulting yogurt can be sweetened powdered sugar, also add any fruit or jam.

The finished product should be placed in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Thanks to this, it will acquire a denser consistency, and live bacteria will live in it longer. Bon appetit!

• 1 liter of milk;
• 50–100 g skim milk powder (optional);
• 1 tablespoon sugar;
• 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with live cultures or freeze-dried yogurt starter.

You can take any milk: cow, goat, soy, whole or skim.

Unsweetened yogurt without flavorings or additives and marked “Contains live cultures” on the packaging is suitable as a starter. Since beneficial bacteria die quickly, try to choose the freshest yogurt. Try several options until you find the one that tastes best to you.

You can also use freeze-dried yogurt starter. It is usually sold online and works even better than ready-made yogurt.

In a pinch, sweet flavored yogurt will do. Just remember that it will affect the final taste of your product.

How to make yogurt

It is best to do this in a water bath: this way the contents of the pan will not burn, and you will not have to stir it often. If you don't have a thermometer, 85 degrees is the temperature at which the milk starts to foam.

Wikihow.com

UHT milk can only be heated to 40-45 degrees and skip the next step.

2. Cool the milk to 40–45 °C

The easiest way to do this is to put it in cold water: this way the temperature will drop quickly and evenly. If you cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator, be sure to stir the milk frequently.

You can determine whether the liquid has reached the desired temperature without a thermometer: with your finger. If the milk is hot, but no longer burns, then it’s time to start sourdough.

Simply remove the store-bought yogurt you'll be using from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature while the milk cools.

4. Mix the starter with milk

To distribute the bacteria evenly, use a whisk or blender. If fibers remain in the mixture, you most likely heated the milk too much or too quickly.

At this stage you can add powdered milk: it will increase nutritional value yogurt and will make it thicker.

5. Grow bacteria

The starter mixture with milk will need to be kept for 6–8 hours at a temperature of 38–40 °C.

The most convenient way to do this is in a yogurt maker. Just pour the mixture into a container and place it in it.

But an oven will do just fine. Heat it to the required temperature, turn it off and place the container with the yogurt mixture inside. Turn the oven on occasionally to maintain an even temperature. This method is quite tedious, since you need to constantly ensure that the oven does not overheat.

It is easier to prepare yogurt in a slow cooker. Pour boiling water over the bowl and pour the mixture of milk and sourdough into it. If you cook in jars, place them in a slow cooker and fill them with water almost to the brim. Use the "Yogurt" mode or turn on the heating for 6-8 hours. Please note that the heating temperature should not exceed 40 °C. If your model is higher, turn the heat on for 15-20 minutes and then turn it off for an hour to prevent the yogurt from overheating. Repeat the procedure 5-6 times.

In the microwave, the process is approximately the same: set the temperature to 40 °C and leave the mixture for 6-8 hours. If there is a Fermentation mode, use it.

If you don't have any of the above, place the container with the mixture on a sunny windowsill or in a large container of warm water.

Gradually the consistency of the mixture will become similar to custard, a cheesy smell will appear and whey will come out on top.

You can simply pour it out, use it in baking, or eat it with yogurt.

6. Check the readiness of the yogurt

After 6–8 hours, shake the container slightly: the finished yogurt under the whey should have a uniform consistency. The longer you let it sit, the thicker it will be.

7. Strain the yogurt through cheesecloth

This way the serum will come out of it and it will become thicker. Line a colander with gauze and place it in a large container, then transfer the yogurt into it, cover with a plate and put it in the refrigerator. In a couple of hours you will have Greek yogurt. And if you leave the mixture overnight, it becomes a very thick yogurt, similar in consistency to cream cheese.

What's next

You can eat homemade yogurt with jam, or maple syrup, fruit or berries.

Use part of the resulting product as a starter for the next portion. You can store yogurt in the refrigerator for no more than 5–7 days.

And although hundreds of types of yogurt are sold on store shelves today, a truly high-quality product can only be prepared in your own kitchen.

You probably won’t add preservatives that extend the shelf life indefinitely, and you won’t need artificial flavor enhancers either.

In this article we share in simple ways, how to make yogurt at home without a yogurt maker, with a yogurt maker, in the oven and even in a thermos.

How to make homemade yogurt in a yogurt maker - step-by-step recipe + table

A delicious fermented product can be prepared in a yogurt maker, and the latter, if not equipped with a program of the same name, probably has a “Warming” mode.

On average, it takes 10-12 hours to prepare, so it’s more convenient to fill the gadget overnight so that you can put the product in the refrigerator in the morning.

An additional convenience of the yogurt maker as such can be considered portion cups- you simply pour milk into them, close the lid, and when the time is up, send the dishes to cool. To prepare you will need 1 l milk and 1 bag of dry sourdough.

Fermentation in a slow cooker - recipe + step by step photos

Yogurt in the oven - recipe + photo

This recipe for home ripening can be considered the most labor-intensive - the process will take approximately 7-8 hours and will require you to warm up the oven from time to time.

How to make yogurt at home without starter?

To do this, you will need a liter of milk and a jar of ready-made store-bought yogurt without any fruit fillings. The label must contain the inscription “Contains live bacteria”; they are responsible for the ripening process.

Step by step instructions:

1. Boil or heat the milk in a thick-walled saucepan
2. Cool to 40 degrees, stirring occasionally with a spoon to prevent foam from forming on top.
3. In one cup, stir the yogurt until smooth.
4. Pour into a saucepan with warm milk and stir again
5. Cover the pan with a lid and wrap it in a large towel.
6. Move it into the oven, leaving the light on
7. It will take approximately four hours to ferment.
8. The longer you keep the product in the oven, the more sour it will turn out.
9. Take out the pan and carefully pour off the whey that forms on the surface.
10. Pour the yogurt into containers and place in the refrigerator

Tip: the finished homemade product can be stored for about a week. If you add berries, fruits and granola immediately after cooking, the period is reduced to two days.

For the next ferment, you can use your own yogurt, but after three or four cycles you need to update it with purchased yogurt, because... lactic bacteria tend to age.

How to make Greek yogurt at home?

Greek yogurt, also known as yogurt cheese, labana or dahi, differs from traditional yogurt in a thicker consistency - it is additionally filtered through a cloth to remove whey.

In Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, laban is eaten not only with fruit, but also with olives, olive oil, and they like to generously sprinkle it with ground thyme.

It is also used to prepare other dishes due to its ability to not curdle at high temperatures.

To prepare it at home, take one and a half liters of milk and a packet of starter:

1. Bring the milk to a boil, remove the pan from the heat
2. Cool to 40 degrees and mix with sourdough
3. Pour into a thermos or jar, wrap carefully
4. We wait six hours
5. Place the yogurt in several layers of gauze and let the whey drain
6. To get a thicker consistency, add ready-made sour cream or cottage cheese
7. All that remains is to decorate the laban with your favorite flavors - fruits with nuts or olives and herbs, for example

Features of making homemade yogurt

To prepare a homemade fermented milk product, you will need two things: and sourdough, which can be purchased at any pharmacy or supermarket. Instead of the latter, you can also use store-bought yogurt.

But when choosing a product, you should pay attention to the shelf life - for better souring it should be minimal.

And the composition is as simple as possible, close to natural, without flavor enhancers, dyes and additives.

It is also worth considering the following subtleties:

1. Choose the right milk. Ideally, it should be “living” rustic. If you don’t have the opportunity to purchase farmers’ products, buy pasteurized ones. But not the one that doesn’t turn sour even if it’s been open for six months. The shelf life should not exceed a week. Homemade milk boil, pasteurized - heat to 90 degrees.
2. So that lactic acid bacteria actively multiply, and the taste of the yogurt was tender and soft, it is better to add the starter when the milk has cooled to 40 degrees.
3. You can adjust the fat content of the product yourself- for fattier milk you will need milk with a high percentage of fat content and vice versa.
4. The difference between dry and liquid store-bought sourdough lies mainly in its shelf life - liquid is not recommended to be stored for longer than three months. Also, the yogurt itself turns out to be more sour in taste and viscous in consistency.
5. For re-cooking there is no need to use store-bought sourdough - you can get by with a glass of personally prepared product.
6. After ripening It is recommended to transfer the yogurt to glassware and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Before eating, you can add fruits, nuts, etc. to it.
7. In order not to destroy the structure, It is not recommended to mix or shake an already fermented product.

Is it only possible to make homemade yogurt from cow's milk?

Of course not. Adherents and popular ones know that goat is considered softer and healthier. Although it is fattier than cow's milk, it is practically hypoallergenic, easily absorbed by the body, and contains little lactose.

But there are many useful microelements, incl. cobalt, which is part of the composition, necessary for vegetarians, and the ability to strengthen the immune system is simply fantastic.

How to make yogurt from goat milk at home? It’s very simple: all the recipes below are suitable for both cow and goat meat. The choice is entirely up to your taste preferences.

Reasons for cooking failures

It seems that you did everything according to the rules, but for some reason the yogurt did not ferment.

Here's what could have caused the failure:

1. Stale starter, milk, unsterile containers or non-compliance with the recommended temperature conditions
2. Fillers, additives and sugar- never add them during cooking, because... Bacteria need only a milky environment to reproduce
3. Milk too hot or cold- its temperature should vary from 39 to 45 degrees
4. Low-quality store-bought yogurt without live bacteria if you cooked without sourdough
5. Using plastic or aluminum utensils; For home fermentation, glass and thick-walled pans that can retain heat for a long time are considered ideal.

It will become a useful homemade product in combination with fruits, berries and muesli; it can be used to prepare sauces and salad dressings.

At regular use it normalizes intestinal microflora, fights intestinal disorders, strengthens the immune system and increases the body's resistance to viruses. And of course it is dietary product promoting weight loss.

This detailed video recipe will also tell you how to make yogurt at home: