Yogurt belongs to fermented milk products and has a lot of useful properties known in all countries of the world. Bacteria are present in various leavens. The product is able to satisfy both hunger and thirst. It restores strength and energy. Yogurt contains a sufficient amount of amino acids, vitamins and minerals: magnesium, zinc, potassium. Such a set of nutrients makes it an irreplaceable food product for adults and children. You don't have to run to the nearest store to enjoy yogurt, because you can make it at home.

What is known about yogurt?

As a result of milk oxidation by special bacteria, yoghurt is formed. It contains a lot of nutrients that have a beneficial effect on our body. What are the benefits of the product?

• digestion improves. For the normal assimilation of foods, proper functioning of the digestive system is necessary. The bacteria contained in yogurt maintain the necessary acidity, relieve constipation and diarrhea. People who are intolerant of milk protein can safely consume yogurt;
• toxins are eliminated. Putrefactive microorganisms gradually accumulate in the intestines. The fermented milk product neutralizes and removes them;
• the risk of cancerous tumors is reduced;
• the immunity of the whole body improves due to the synthesis of interferon gamma;
• the combination of yogurt with salt-free food heals sore joints;
• skin, hair and nails are getting better.

Unfortunately, the listed beneficial properties of the miraculous product do not apply to the yogurt that is sold in stores. Therefore, it is recommended to cook it yourself.

All kinds of

In addition to the usual, there is bioyogurt. Live bacteria called probiotics are added to it. For example, acidophilus bacillus and bifidobacteria.

Yoghurts are classified according to the type of milk used:

• natural milk;
• milk or cream with a fat content brought to a certain standard;
• reconstituted milk powder;
• recombined milk.

By the type of additives, the product is divided into two types:

• fruit or vegetable;
• flavored. Flavors and flavorings are used instead of natural fruits.

Yoghurts differ in the proportion of fat content:

• milk non-fat. Fat content no more than 0.1%;
• milk of low fat content. 0.3-1%;
• milk bold. 1.2-2.5%;
• dairy classic. 2.7-4.5%;
• milk-creamy. 4.7-7.5%;
• creamy milk 7.5–9.5%;
• creamy. Not less than 10%.

Other varieties:

What are the features of cooking

There are two cooking methods:

• thermostatic. The constituent components are immediately placed in the consumption container. Sourdough is added. The process goes on and the finished product is obtained in the form of an undisturbed clot, as when souring milk;
• reservoir. The components are first placed in a large container, and ripening takes place there. Then the finished yoghurt is poured into smaller containers. The result is a broken clot.

Now in factories, preference is given to the second cooking option. Well, at home, everything depends only on you.

Selection of ingredients

Buy the starter culture at the pharmacy. Try not to use store-bought yogurt instead of this important ingredient, even if it has no preservatives. A special microflora is formed in fermented milk products. And after fermenting, it turns into pathogenic.

For yoghurt, pasteurized cow's milk with a short shelf life is suitable. It does not need to be boiled before sourdough. You just need to warm it up. Boil the rest. Do not take milk from private owners. You don't know what kind of cow they have. And she can be sick or fed with vitamins. Pay attention to the fat content. It varies in the range of 0.5–6%. For children, choose milk up to 3.2% fat. And for weight loss up to 2.5%.

You can use goat's milk. It is very healthy and hypoallergenic, but not everyone likes its taste. Pay attention to the expiration date and the integrity of the packaging. The color of good milk is white. Fat clots may be present. Looks sour. If there is a yellow tint, then cow's milk is substituted. A bluish tint indicates dilution with water.

Homemade recipes with and without a yogurt maker

To cook without a yogurt maker, you need a thermos, heater, or blanket.

How to make natural yogurt

Video: how easy it is to make yogurt without a yogurt maker

Drinking yoghurt

The recipe is the same as for natural yogurt, but milk should be no more than 1.5% fat. Add sugar or fruit to the chilled finished product to taste. If the yogurt turns out to be thick for you, then you should reduce the amount of starter culture by 1 liter of milk.

Cooking the Greek version

First, do everything according to the recipe for natural yogurt. In the last step, fold the cheesecloth in two layers and place the curd in it. After 2 hours, the whey will drain and you will have something in between yogurt and pudding. To add thickness and increase the fat content, a glass of cream is added to the milk.

Greek yogurt is obtained after decanting the whey

Homemade yogurt differs from store-bought yogurt in its taste and healthiness. And in order to make this wonderful product, it is not at all necessary to have a yogurt maker on the farm.

Even those children who turn up their noses from dairy products enjoy yogurt. It is rare to find someone who does not 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 yoghurt

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

Let's start, perhaps With milk. Ideal for making a homemade fermented milk product is pasteurized factory-made. When buying, do not forget to pay attention to the date, otherwise, instead of the desired result, we risk getting yogurt of dubious quality. Why is it important? For all fermented milk products, including yogurt, the rule applies - the higher the fat content, the lower the acidity. Most prepared starter cultures are designed for milk with a fat content of 2.5 to 3.5 percent. Using a framework with such indicators will give maximum guarantees that everything will work out. Such milk does not need to be boiled first, 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 making homemade yogurt, you will have to boil it and cool it to the desired temperature. It will not be possible to determine the 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. It is impossible to buy such raw materials on spontaneous markets! The best option is to purchase 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 ordinary milk, you can get a product that resembles fermented baked milk, but with a much more healthy composition.

The choice of sourdough is no less important. It's not a bad idea to try everything and choose the one you like the most. You can get it in the dairy section of the supermarket, specialized health food stores, and some pharmacies. The starter culture must be fresh, its packaging must not be damaged in any case.

Physics and chemistry of the process

Those who are not only interested in how to make yogurt at home, but also delved into the technology, probably know what is happening inside the yogurt maker. Warm milk becomes a habitat for microflora. Bacteria grow and multiply by 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. We put the milk to warm. It is advisable to use a thermometer, because not everyone can feel the temperature. And we need it quite definite. Which one - the sourdough manufacturer will tell you. Most bacteria begin to become active in milk at a temperature of about 40 degrees.

If there is no thermometer, you can use the method that young mothers often use: pour a few drops on the inside of the elbow. The milk should be hot, but not scalding the skin. There is absolutely no need to boil the pasteurized product. If you are using regular milk, bring it to a boil under the lid and allow it to cool. Both too low and too high an ambient temperature can kill bacteria - and yogurt will not work.

The yoghurt maker, cups and all the utensils used in the process are thoroughly washed and poured over with boiling water. You can disinfect everything you need in a double boiler - hot steam will cope with unnecessary microflora no worse than boiling water.

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

What not to do

Before making yoghurt at home, there are some taboos you should pay attention to. The main rule is that nothing but milk and sourdough can be added to the yogurt maker! Sugar, fruits, berries and any other filler are put into the finished product. Any additives disrupt the fermentation process and most often lead to spoilage of the yogurt.

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

Recipe for yogurt based on kefir sourdough

If there is no ready-made store-bought sourdough, and the heart asks for a tender dessert - it doesn't matter! In the yoghurt maker, you can prepare a wonderful product from organic yoghurt or kefir. Homemade yogurt is also fine. To do this, dilute a glass of store-bought sour milk in milk heated to 40 degrees. This must be done carefully so that the leaven does not curdle. It is best to introduce milk into the fermented milk base one tablespoon at a time, stirring gradually. It is enough to take both liquids in equal amounts, then the mixture can be poured to the rest of the milk. The fermentation process will take 12 hours. The usefulness of such a product cannot be compared with the healing homemade yogurt. But the taste and it turns out great.

Cooking yoghurt in a thermos

No yogurt maker? Also not scary. Let's make it in a thermos. The proportions of the products are the same as for the classic yoghurt recipe. Warmed milk with the leaven dissolved in it must be poured into a thermos and left alone overnight. In the morning, there will be a wonderful dessert inside.

How do you know that everything worked out?

Those who have just begun to comprehend the science of making homemade sour milk sometimes ask themselves the question: "Am I doing everything right?" In the absence of more experienced guides, it can sometimes be difficult to determine if the yoghurt is made. 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 is curdled, it means that there is a technological error somewhere. This can happen due to violation of sanitary requirements or temperature conditions. Simply put, unwashed dishes can make the milk turn sour. And too high a temperature will only speed up the process. You do not need to throw away the sour yogurt - it will make cottage cheese. It is also suitable for making homemade cakes - in any recipe it can replace kefir.

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

Yogurt recipes: cereal, nut, fruit

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

We remove fruit syrup, shop jam, Condensed milk dessert, caramel topping and other chemical delights. With our super healthy yoghurt, all of this is completely incompatible! Our option: homemade jam, fresh berries and fruits, condensed milk, honey, nuts, cereals. All this can be added to the dessert. Moreover, you can throw the whole berries into a glass, or you can pre-kill them in a blender. This makes a delicious fruit yogurt. From spices vanilla, cinnamon, saffron are wonderfully combined with it. You can garnish with a fresh mint leaf. Along with sweets, you can also cook salted yogurt, pouring fresh cucumbers, chopped greens, chopped bell peppers into it grated on a fine grater. It should be remembered that you can add fruits, nuts and even seasonings only immediately before use. It is not worth storing such a product in the refrigerator, since all additives contribute to further fermentation.

How to store?

Yogurt, like all fermented milk, 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 the menu in advance. After all, this product is most useful fresh immediately after preparation. It is not recommended to take a glass or two with you for a walk, especially in the summer heat! A healthy and tasty product in the heat can very quickly turn into poison.

Therefore, it is advisable to eat fresh yoghurt. It is best to do this in the morning. This product is able to energize and strengthen the immune system for the whole day.

Yogurt is a delicious fermented milk product.

It turns out due to the fact that lactic acid bacteria ferment milk under certain conditions, which gives the finished product a characteristic color, taste and consistency.

In addition, yogurt is a healthy fermented milk product that has a beneficial effect on the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract.

Thus, regular consumption of yogurt stimulates metabolic processes and normalizes bowel function.

How to make yogurt at home: is it possible?

Today, you can find a huge assortment of various yoghurts on store shelves, but it is rather difficult to find a truly healthy and safe product. However, yoghurts can be made at home as well, and it is not difficult as it might seem. But the advantages of homemade yoghurt in comparison with the goods sold are obvious:

1. Home-made yoghurt is a natural, environmentally friendly product, without dyes, preservatives and other chemicals, and harmful additives.

2. You can easily control the calorie content of the finished product, for this it is enough to use milk of different fat content.

3. Homemade yogurt is an opportunity to express your imagination. Experimentally, you can achieve different densities. In addition, many different variations can be made from classic yogurt, resulting in a lot of unique and interesting desserts. Fillers such as fresh berries, fresh and canned fruits, dried fruits, muesli, flakes, chocolate or coconut flakes are used.

4. Yoghurt, prepared at home, is excellent for preparing various types of sauces, for dressing fruit and vegetable salads. Thanks to this product, the usual salty, sweet, spicy dishes acquire new interesting tastes.

5. Homemade yogurt lasts three to four days in the refrigerator. The main condition is that the container with yogurt is tightly sealed. After this time, homemade yoghurt is not suitable for consumption. But this fact is another proof that the product is natural and does not look like store-bought long-term storage, which, unfortunately, only has a name from real yoghurt.

6. It is noteworthy that it is not necessary to have a yoghurt maker to prepare yoghurt; the product can be prepared using improvised means, such as a saucepan, slow cooker, jar, thermos and others.

How to make yogurt at home: what is needed for this

To make homemade yoghurt, you must have two ingredients: milk and sourdough. The rest can be added based on your taste preferences.

Milk... Ideally, it is best to purchase fresh country milk, you can also purchase 10% cream. To prepare low-calorie yogurt, it is enough to take milk of 3.5-5% fat content. The main thing is that the original product is pasteurized, not sterilized, and there is no long-term storage. It is also permissible to use baked milk, the taste of the finished yoghurt will be delicate, caramelized.

Milk is poured into an enamel pan, brought to a boil, and then cooled to 45 degrees. You can use a kitchen thermometer to measure the temperature. If the milk is hotter than necessary, all beneficial trace elements and bacteria will simply die.

Leaven... You will also need sourdough to make a delicious dessert. You can use ready-made starter culture or "live" natural yoghurt with a short shelf life.

Let's take a closer look at what is better to buy for making dessert.

Dry starter culture can be bought in specialized stores or pharmacies, they are sold in small bottles. Two capsules are enough for a liter of milk.

The advantages of this type of starter culture are the shelf life, the resistance of bacteria and the amazing taste of the finished product.

Liquid starter cultures, unlike dry ones, are not so popular, as they have some disadvantages. Firstly, their shelf life is not so long, only 3 months, but it was found that at the end of the first month, many living bacteria simply die. Secondly, the taste of the finished product is not so delicious. Usually, yoghurt prepared on the basis of liquid sourdough turns out to be slightly sour and not very pleasant viscous consistency.

But although it is permissible to use "live" yogurt, many experienced chefs do not advise doing this, believing that when combined with milk, not only the necessary beneficial microorganisms, but also hidden pathogens will begin to multiply. And then, homemade yogurt will be no different from the desserts sold in stores. In addition, if they exceed the permissible rate, there is a possibility of poisoning and getting foodborne infectious diseases.

Therefore, if you want you to get a really useful product, use a special dry starter culture of any company for its preparation, especially since it is not difficult to acquire it.

How to make yogurt at home: cooking technology

As we already found out above, you can cook not only natural yoghurts, but also with additives, however, the cooking technology in any case starts with the classics, and you can add any fillers and additives you love to the finished product.

1. Recipe for homemade yogurt prepared in a yogurt maker

Of course, the presence of a yogurt maker makes it easier to prepare a healthy product. Its undoubted advantage is that the "machine" maintains a constant desired temperature. To make yogurt in a yogurt maker, mix two capsules of dry dressing or a tablespoon of liquid dressing with one liter of milk. Pour the mixture into a container, let stand 10 hours.

2. How to make yogurt at home in a thermos

If you don't have a yogurt maker, but you want a tasty and healthy product, you can use a regular thermos for making yogurt, the main thing is that the neck is wide - it will be more convenient to cook.

The cooking technology does not differ from the previous recipe, you need to pour in milk cooled to 45 degrees, add the leaven, mix. Remove to an inaccessible place and stand for 6-8 hours without disturbing the product - the thermos cannot be rearranged, shaken, yogurt should not be stirred. The finished yogurt is poured into a sterile container and put into the refrigerator.

3. How to make homemade yogurt in a saucepan

To prepare a product in this way, you need a thick-walled saucepan that retains heat for a long time. So, warm milk mixed with sourdough is poured into the pan, and the lid is closed. They put the container on a heating pad with hot water or a hot radiator and wrap it in a thick warm blanket, leave it there for 6-8 hours. It is permissible to use a glass jar or a ceramic pot instead of a saucepan.

4. Alternative cooking options

In addition, you can cook the product in a multicooker. The technology is similar. Many modern multi-cookers have a built-in "Yogurt" mode, but if there is none, then you can use the "Heating" function.

You can also use an oven to prepare dessert, in this case the oven is heated to 40 degrees, the container with milk and sourdough is kept for 5 hours. In this case, it is better to use glass containers.

How to make yogurt at home: reasons for failure

It happens that the technology is followed, but the yogurt did not work out. Why is this happening and what could be the reason for the failure?

The main secrets of successful preparation of the product are correctly selected fresh starter culture, high-quality milk, sterile containers and a constant uniform temperature at which yogurt ferments.

In addition, the product must not be cooked in aluminum and plastic containers. All containers must be clean, including containers, thermometers, pots in which milk is boiled, spoons and other necessary utensils.

Fillers and additives: berries, chocolate and others, it is best to add not during cooking, but to an already finished product. Bacteria only need a milky environment to function properly. Sugar, fruits and other fillers will lead to the development of unnecessary yeast and putrefactive bacteria, which will spoil the product during the cooking stage.

Also, do not add starch or milk powder to thicken, this is the task of ordinary milk. The density and calorie content of the finished product depends on the fat content of the original product.

It is best to immediately remove the finished product in a cold place so that the fermentation and multiplication of bacteria stops, otherwise the finished yogurt will turn out sour.

It happens that yogurt is not fermented. Hot milk or poor quality sourdough can be the cause. Milk temperature should be 45 degrees, not more.

By the way, if the milk is too cold, then the yogurt will turn out to be too liquid or viscous.

How is yoghurt served?

Yogurt goes well with all fruits, you can serve the product with peaches, bananas, berries, pears and others. Yogurt with berries is also delicious: strawberries, raspberries, currants and others. In addition to fresh fruits and berries, you can add jam, freshly squeezed juice to yogurt.

Breakfast can be served with yoghurt with oatmeal and honey, or muesli. Yogurt can be used to dress salads, ice cream and various desserts can be prepared on its basis.

As you can see, making yogurt at home is simple, the main thing is to choose the right products and containers used for cooking. Do not forget that homemade desserts are always healthier and tastier than store-bought ones. Enjoy cooking.

Fermented milk products, by the right of popularity, can be called folk favorites. They are delicious and very healthy. Therefore, manufacturers of kitchen appliances could not ignore consumers - adherents of healthy dairy cuisine. Today we can choose from a wide range of household appliances and devices for the preparation of dairy products that remain natural and safe for health.

In this article, we'll take a look at how to make homemade yogurt in a yogurt maker and suggest some proven recipes for making it. Indeed, in fact, industrial dairy products are practically sterile and do not contain the declared useful substances. We can guess about it, right?

Yogurt is one of the most beloved dairy products! Even children know about its beneficial properties for digestion! But is this product really great on grocery store shelves? Agree that factory-made yoghurts cannot contain the widely advertised bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in sufficient quantities.

If this were so, then they would not stop wandering and very quickly deteriorate. However, this is not a reason to be upset - after all, it is very easy to make delicious products from milk at home! It is very easy to prepare yoghurt in a modern yoghurt maker! The number of ingredients we need for the recipes is minimal, and you can beat them as you like, making countless recipes!

Classic recipe

Ingredients

• - 120-150 g + -
• - 1000-1300 ml + -
• Sourdough - + -

Preparation

If the store milk is pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized, then we heat it to 37 degrees. If draft or rural milk was taken, then it must be boiled, and then cooled to the same temperature, having previously removed the foam from the surface.

Dilute sugar in warm milk and, adding ferment, stir thoroughly or beat with a mixer or blender.

Pour the finished mixture into containers and place them in a yogurt maker for 5 hours.

* Cook's Tip
It is very important that the temperature of the milk before adding the sourdough to it is no more than 40 degrees. The most comfortable ambient temperature for maximum reproduction of lactobacilli is 37 degrees. At temperatures above 40, microorganisms die, and our favorite product may simply not work - there will be no one to ferment milk.
To make sure the milk is at the correct temperature, stir it thoroughly by mixing the cooler upper layers with the hotter lower ones and - the easiest way - to test it on your finger. If the temperature of milk is practically not felt, then it is close to body temperature - 37 degrees. If the milk is lukewarm, then it is better to be patient and let it stand a little longer. This is the very case when we do not need haste.

About leavens

There can be a great variety of sourdough options.

It is possible to use "live" yoghurt, but in this case it is better to buy the most expensive one, without additives and with the shortest possible shelf life, otherwise we will transfer all preservatives and dyes from the store to our homemade yoghurt.

Specialized starter cultures are also sold - for making fermented milk products at home. The most famous and demanded housewives are "Evitalia" and "Lactina". As a rule, yoghurts based on these starter cultures are always easy to prepare, they are good, tasty and do not have any impurity of foreign smells and tastes, which is a very pleasant property!

The third option to ferment milk is to prepare the ferment yourself.

How to make a starter culture

Ingredients

• - 130 ml + -
• "Bifidumbacterin"- 1 bottle + -
• "Narine" - 3 sachets + -

Preparation

We heat the milk to 37-39 degrees.

Add "Narine" and "Bifidumbacterin" to the heated milk and provide the resulting mixture with a temperature of about 37 degrees for a day (it is important not to exceed 40 degrees!). To do this, you can put the future sourdough directly into a yogurt maker or in any sufficiently warm place, after wrapping it with a towel.

"Narine" and "Bifidumbacterin" are pharmaceutical products, which should not be in any way scared! This is just a concentrate of the microorganisms we need. The finished starter culture is kept cool for about 5-7 days, without becoming unusable. For every 1000 ml of milk, we need 2 tablespoons of the prepared starter culture.

Homemade yogurt for children

Fermented milk products are useful not only for adults. They are needed and extremely important for the health of babies from the tenth month of life. The most popular manufacturers who provide us with dairy products for children still cannot help but add thickeners and substances that increase shelf life to their products. And this is absolutely unnecessary for the body of a small child.

Therefore, it is better to feed your child with natural, self-prepared, "live" fermented milk products. The recipe for making yoghurt in a yogurt maker for young children does not fundamentally differ from the basic recipe, but there are several nuances that should be taken into account.

Yogurt for kids under one year old

Ingredients

• - 250 ml + -
• Sourdough - 1 tsp l. + -
• Applesauce - 100 g + -

Preparation

As in the previous recipes, we heat the milk to body temperature and add the sourdough to it. Mix the milk and applesauce thoroughly.

We spread it in containers and put the mixture in a yogurt maker for 5 hours.

The important differences between children's yogurt and an adult are that, firstly, you should not add a store-bought product as a sourdough, and, secondly, you do not need to sweeten it with sugar or honey. Sugar is harmful to the child's body, and honey is a strong allergen, and it is better not to give it to children under one year of age.

Applesauce can be replaced with chopped apples, pears, bananas, soft dried fruits - depending on the preferences of the child.

It is important to remember that this type of yogurt is stored for no more than 2-3 days, but it is better to eat it within the next 24 hours. And if it contains fresh fruits or berries, then it must be consumed immediately or stored for no more than 10-12 hours. Therefore, it is advisable to prepare the appropriate volumes.

Variety of home production

The recipe for homemade yogurt in a yogurt maker can be modified every time with minor nuances and flavors, but the difference between the variations will be striking!

For example, lovers of such a noble aromatic beverage as coffee can add 4 tablespoons of freeze-dried coffee per liter of milk. For those with a sweet tooth, for the same portion of the product - 100 grams (1 bar) of any chocolate, which must first be melted in a water bath and then mixed with milk. Bitter and milk chocolate as well as white chocolate are perfect.

Those who don't like sweets can simply remove sugar from the homemade yogurt recipe in the yogurt maker - and you get a wonderful product without sweeteners. For piquancy, you can add a little finely chopped fresh dill to it.

In Tibet, many hundreds of years ago, an amazing symbiosis of beneficial bacteria and microscopic fungi was discovered. They fermented milk, giving it great taste, as well as incredible beneficial properties for the body.

People began to notice that after the systematic use of this leaven, many ailments recede - these were stomach diseases, problems with the genital area, and even cancer! To this day, the Tibetan milk mushroom is incredibly popular all over the world!

It's great that humanity has gradually realized that scientific and technological progress can bring with it not only benefits for us, but also can destroy not only the environment, but also our internal environment!

The biological properties of bacteria favorable for the intestinal microflora ensure its normal functioning, therefore, a recipe for making homemade yogurt in a yogurt maker will help to solve this problem in the most natural way.

And although hundreds of types of yoghurt 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 will extend the shelf life indefinitely, and you won't need artificial flavor enhancers either.

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

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

PHOTO INSTRUCTION	STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION
	Heat 100-150 g of milk to 40 degrees and mix with dry sourdough
	Leave the resulting liquid in a yogurt maker for 10 hours, then keep it in the refrigerator for another two
	Bring the rest of the milk to the same temperature, add two tablespoons of the resulting starter culture, stir
	Pour into cups in a yogurt maker and cook for six hours

A tasty fermented product can be cooked in a yogurt maker, and in the latter, if it is not equipped with a program of the same name, it probably has a “Heating” mode.

On average, it takes 10-12 hours to cook, so it is more convenient to refuel the gadget at night in order to send the product to the refrigerator in the morning.

An additional convenience of a yogurt maker as such can be considered portioned cups - you simply pour milk into them, close the lid, and when the time is up, send the dishes to cool. For cooking you will need 1 l milk and 1 sachet of dry starter culture.

Souring in a multicooker - recipe + photo step by step

PHOTO INSTRUCTION	STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION
	Prepare dishes for the future product - wash and sterilize small glass jars or cups
	Pour the sourdough into the milk and stir
	Pour into containers, place in the multicooker bowl, then fill it with water Set the "Heating" program for 6 o'clock When the timer goes off, do not take out the food immediately, let it cool inside the multicooker
	Cover the jars with lids and refrigerate. Your delicious and healthy homemade yoghurt is ready

Yogurt in the oven - recipe + photo

PHOTO INSTRUCTION	STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION
	Boil or heat milk Pour in the starter culture and mix thoroughly We pour liquid into containers
	We heat the oven to fifty degrees We send inside the jar and cover with gauze or a towel As the oven cools down, turn it on again, bring it to the desired temperature and turn it off
	After 8 hours, the finished product is sent to the refrigerator

This homemade fermentation recipe can be considered the most time consuming - the process will take about 7-8 hours and will require you to warm up the oven from time to time.

How to make yogurt at home without sourdough?

To do this, you will need a liter of milk and a jar of ready-made store-bought yogurt without content and fruit fillers. The label must contain the inscription "Contains live bacteria", they are responsible for the fermentation process.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Boil the milk or heat it in a thick-walled saucepan
2. Cool to 40 degrees, stirring occasionally with a spoon, so that no foam forms on top
3. Dilute yogurt in one cup until smooth
4. Pour into a saucepan with warm milk and stir again
5. Close the pan with a lid and wrap it with a large towel
6. We move it to the oven, leaving the lighting lamp on
7. It will take about four hours to ferment.
8. The longer you keep the food in the oven, the more acidic it will be.
9. We take out the pan, carefully drain the milk whey that forms on the surface
10. We pour yogurt into containers and send to the refrigerator

Tip: A 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.

You can use your own yoghurt for the next starter culture, but after three or four cycles it needs to be renewed with a purchased one, because lactic bacteria tend to age.

Homemade dairy products are much healthier than store-bought ones.

How to make Greek yogurt at home?

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

In the Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, labana is eaten not only with fruits, but also with olives, olive and they like to sprinkle generously with ground thyme.

It is also used for cooking other dishes due to its ability to resist curdling at high temperatures.

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

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, carefully wrap
4. We wait six hours
5. Move the yogurt into several layers of cheesecloth and let the whey drain
6. To get a thicker consistency, add ready-made sour cream or cottage cheese
7. It remains to decorate the labana with your favorite flavors - fruits with nuts or olives and herbs, for example

This product is literally made for dietetic nutrition

Features of making homemade yogurt

To make a homemade fermented milk product, you will need two things: and a ferment, 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 "lively" rustic. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase farmers' products, buy pasteurized. But not one that does not turn sour even open for six months. The shelf life should not exceed a week. Boil homemade milk, heat pasteurized milk to 90 degrees.
2. So that lactic acid bacteria actively multiply, and the taste of yoghurt was delicate and soft, it is better to add the sourdough when the milk cools down to 40 degrees.
3. You can adjust the fat content of the product yourself- for more fatty milk, you will need milk with a high percentage of fat content and vice versa.
4. Difference between dry and liquid store-bought starter culture consists mainly of its shelf life - it is not recommended to store liquid for more than three months. Also, the yogurt itself from it turns out to be more sour in taste and viscous in consistency.
5. For re-cooking there is no need to use a store-bought starter culture - you can easily get by with a glass of the personally prepared product.
6. After fermentation it is recommended to put the yogurt in a glass dish and put it 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 stir and shake the already fermented product.

You can also ferment goat milk at home.

Is it only cow's milk that you can make homemade yogurt?

Of course not. Adherents and popular ones know that goat is considered softer and healthier. Although it is fatter than cow, it is practically hypoallergenic, it is easily absorbed by the body, there is little lactose in it.

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

How to make goat milk yogurt at home? Very simple: all of the recipes below are suitable for both cow and goat. The choice is entirely up to your taste preferences.

Homemade yogurt maker will make the cooking process easy and comfortable

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 culture, milk, non-sterile containers or non-observance of the recommended temperature regime
2. Fillers, additives and sugar- never add them while cooking, as bacteria need only a milk environment for reproduction
3. Milk that is too hot or too 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 cookware; glass pots, as well as thick-walled pots that can hold heat for a long time, are considered ideal for home fermentation

Yogurt can also be the basis for homemade ice cream.

A healthy homemade product combined with fruits, berries and muesli will become, it can be used to make sauces and salad dressings.

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

How to make yogurt at home, you will also be prompted by this detailed video recipe: