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Custard-Style Yogurt Recipe
We developed this yogurt recipe to make thick “custard-style” yogurt without the need for additives like gelatin or powdered dry milk.
Two key techniques for create thicker, creamier yogurt: hold the milk at 195 °F / 90 °C for ten minutes, and culture with our High-Low method. This method starts with a hot temperature to speed culturing and provide the most food-safe conditions, then switches to a low temperature to achieve a smooth, firm set.
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| Milk (volume) | 4 C / 1 L | 2 quart / 2 L | 1 gal / 4 L | 2 gal / 8 L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk (weight) | 2.2 lbs /1 kg | 4.4 lbs / 2 kg | 8.8 lbs / 4 kg | 17.6 lbs / 8 kg |
| Yogurt* (volume) | 2 T / 30 ml | ¼ C / 60 ml | ½ C / 120 ml | 1 C / 240 ml |
| Yogurt* (weight) | 1 oz / 30 g | 2 oz / 60 g | 4 oz / 120 g | 8 oz / 240 g |
*Either store-bought plain yogurt with live cultures or homemade yogurt reserved from a previous batch. Learn more about how to maintain a yogurt culture.
Equipment: Brød & Taylor Folding Proofer, or SAHARA Folding Dehydrator, thermometer, large spoon or whisk, glass mason jars or other heat-proof containers with a capacity of one quart / one liter or less. (To make yogurt in one large container instead of a group of mason jars, see our Greek yogurt recipe.) Everything that will touch the milk should be thoroughly clean and dry.
Note: When using the Folding Proofer to make yogurt, be certain there is no water in the water tray. The water tray is not needed for making yogurt. You can remove it from the Proofer, if you like, or leave it empty. But do not add water because it will affect temperature settings.
Heat Milk to 195 °F / 90 °C and Hold for 10 Minutes. Using either a microwave or the stovetop, heat milk to 195 °F / 90 °C. If using the stovetop, stir frequently to prevent scorching. Hold the temperature of the milk above 195 °F / 90 °C for ten minutes. Depending on batch size, it may be necessary to use low heat (stovetop) or a short burst in the microwave to keep the milk hot.
Tip: Whisking the milk to cover the surface with bubbles will prevent the milk from forming a skin during heating and cooling.
Cool Milk to 115 °F / 46 °C. Remove the milk from the heat and allow to cool to at least 115 °F / 46 °C. For faster cooling, place the container of milk in a pan or sink of cold tap water. While the milk is cooling, set up the Proofer. Select Proofer Mode, with the wire rack and no water tray, then set the temperature to 120 °F / 49 °C.
Add Yogurt to the Milk. Put the yogurt with live cultures into a small bowl. Gradually stir in enough of the warm milk to liquefy the mixture and mix until smooth. Then pour the liquefied culture back into the large container of milk and stir gently to distribute. Pour the milk into jars, cover by resting a lid on each jar, and place in the Proofer.
Tip: For proper heat circulation and the most accurate culturing temperature, arrange the jars so that they are not directly over the center of the Proofer.
Culture at 120 °F / 49 °C for an Hour, then Lower the Heat to 86 °F / 30 °C. Set a kitchen timer for one hour. After an hour reduce the temperature in the Proofer down to 86 °F / 30 °C. It’s important not to let the yogurt remain at 120 °F / 49 °C for more than an hour in order to avoid the whey separation and lumpy texture that come from culturing too hot.
Lowering the proofer temperature to 86 ºF allows the milk to cool to 100 ºF after about 3 hours. Either the Folding Proofer or the Sahara Dehydrator can be used to make yogurt using this method.
Check the Yogurt after Two Hours. Check the yogurt by gently tilting a jar to the side to see if the milk has set. If you have used a higher protein milk or a fast-acting culture, it may be ready in just 2 hours (one hour at 120 °F / 49 °C plus one at 86 °F / 30 °C). Most yogurts will take about 3-4 hours to set, or the yogurt can be cultured longer for more flavor and acidity. When the yogurt is ready, put it into the refrigerator and allow it to chill thoroughly. Be sure to reserve enough yogurt to start your next batch.
Alternative to using the proofer
Yogurt may be made in the SAHARA dehydrator. The benefit to using the dehydrator is the automated dual time/temperature control. This control provides the ability to program two different timers each with a different temperature, making the “High-Low” culturing method a breeze. Follow the instructions for the yogurt recipe you are using up until it is time to move the jars into the proofer. At this point, arrange the dehydrator shelves to accommodate the jars and place the jars inside the dehydrator. Using the dual time/temperature control, set the dehydrator to 120 °F / 49 °C for 1 hour, and 100°F / 38 °C for 3 hours.
Check the Yogurt after Two Hours. Check the yogurt by gently tilting a jar to the side to see if the milk has set. If you have used a higher protein milk or a fast-acting culture, it may be ready in just 3 hours (one hour at 120 °F / 49 °C plus two at 100°F / 38 °C). Most yogurts will take about 3-4 hours to set, or the yogurt can be cultured longer for more flavor and acidity. When the yogurt is ready, chill thoroughly. Be sure to reserve enough yogurt to start your next batch.
Greek Yogurt
Strained Greek yogurt can be made from Classic, Custard-Style, Lactose-Free, Goat or Soy yogurt. Or, we also have a recipe that’s specialized for making the best Greek yogurt with the most convenient process, it’s here.
To strain Greek yogurt, line a colander or strainer with several layers of cheesecloth, a clean tea towel or a large paper coffee filter. Set the strainer over a bowl and spoon or pour in the yogurt. Cover and refrigerate. Allow to strain for 3-4 hours for thick Greek-style yogurt, or overnight for the thickest possible texture.
Spoon or pour yogurt into lined strainer, keeping the level of the yogurt below the rim. Cover and refrigerate.
After 4-12 hours, uncover, lift strainer from bowl and refrigerate whey for another use. Gently roll yogurt out of filter into clean bowl.
Greek Yogurt also makes a wonderful base for frozen desserts, it is featured in our Strawberry, Roasted Peach and Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Recipes.
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55 comments
Hi. Thanks for your recipe! I made this recipe using my sous vide machine, and the result was excellent. The flavor or the yogurt was not tart at all, and the texture was very, very smooth. Before, I made yougurt sous vide at 43°C for 4 to 5 hours, but it resulted in a tart yogurt with separated whey. Your recipe was really a major improvement!! ;) However, I would like to improve my recipe, trying to understand the actual temperature the milk get with your poofer. In sous vide, the heat transfer is better, because the jar is surrounded by water, and not by air; so, I’m concerned about 49°C (temperature set in my sous vide machine) being too hot for making yogurt, and maybe it could eventually kill the yogurt bacteria. Do you know the max temperature of the milk when you set the poofer to 49°C for 1 hour? And I have the same question for the cooling part. In sous vide, I could even introduce some ice to the water to reduce the temperature rapidly to 30°C. However, I understand the poofer doesn’t have a cooling element; so after 3-4 hours set at 30°C, it’s very possible the temp doesn’t go down to 30°C. Thanks for your help and for sharing this awesome recipe!
Santiago: Your experience points out the very reason we developed the High-Low culturing technique. High culturing temperature initiates fast growth of bacteria that can quickly consume sugars in the milk resulting in a tart yogurt. But the the high temperature also often results in leaking whey and even lumps in the yogurt. To achieve the smoothest texture the temperature of the yogurt should be about 100F / 38C at the time it begins to solidify. In the proofer, the high temperature is typically 115F to a maximum of 120F in the first hour which initiates fast growth. By turning down the temperature to 86F / 30C, the temperature drifts down slowly to achieve this optimum temperature profile in a 3-4 hour interval. You are correct that in a sous vide the water would retain a higher temperature for a longer time and the same result could not be achieved. Using ice to cool the water in a controlled fashion would be extremely difficult. If too cold the culturing is going to slow too much. It is easier in the proofer. Incidentally, the Sahara dehydrator is also excellent at the High-Low yogurt culturing technique using the two Time/Temperature settings. It can be programmed for one hour at 120F and then additional time at 100F. Three additional hours will result in a mild tasting yogurt. For a more tart taste just increase the time at 100F. The result is highly repeatable and can be used on up to 8-10 liters (quarts) of yogurt at a time if desired.
Thanks a lot for this recipe, it really has helped me get much nicer yogurt in the proofer! I have one question that I thought you might know the answer for. I have found that I really need to heat the milk slowly in order to prevent getting a grainy texture and layer on top and to reduce the amount of whey formed. I am now using a chemistry hotplate with a magnetic stirrer so I can let it heat slowly over the course of about an hour without having to stand there with a whisk. What I’m wondering is whether you know which temperature range is critical for the slow heating? I suspect that through most of the ~40F fridge temp to 195F range it can be heated fast but that there is a small range where it has to go slow? Thanks much!
Hi Thorsten, so glad to hear you like the custard-style recipe. Factors that prevent graininess include: —fully dissolve any powdered milk (if using) in cold milk before heating begins, —prevent surface skin from forming by either frequent stirring or by whisking the surface to cover with milk foam, —heat in the microwave, or, if using the stovetop, heat slowly enough and stir often enough that milk doesn’t form a skin of cooked solids on the bottom of the pan. We ran side-by-side tests with milk that was heated quickly vs. slowly but did not find any significant effect on texture. However, your slow heating method sounds like it may be slower than what was used in our tests, and slow heating of milk is an established practice in cheesemaking, so you may be on to something. Factors that influence how much whey leaks from finished yogurt include: —the yogurt should be below 104F / 40C at the point at which it sets, —the yogurt should not be cut into or jostled, —higher protein levels in the milk can help, —don’t continue to culture the yogurt once it has set, —a little sugar dissolved in the milk may help. Hope something there proves useful. Warm regards, Julie
I have tried this recipe, and is my first time making yogurt. I am very happy with the results and it is not grainy or lumpy, the taste is very light and creamy. After a few more batches I will try flavoring it Thanks
I appreciate all this yogurt help. I have made yogurt (with raw milk) for several years now and have never held the temperature at 195 for ten minutes and have never had a problem. What is the reason for doing so? Thank you, Verna
Hi Verna, Holding the milk at 195F for ten minutes is optional. It helps produce a thicker and slightly milder yogurt. The process denatures whey proteins, allowing them to contribute to the solidification of the yogurt. And with the extra protein the yogurt sets a little earlier in the culturing process, so that the flavor can be mild, or the yogurt can culture longer if more tartness is desired. Thanks for your interest!
Hello, Can you explain why a milk foam layer helps to limit film from developing on the surface of cooling milk? I’ve been doing this for the last couple of batches I’ve made, and it works well.
When heated, milk proteins begin to coagulate. At the surface of the milk, water also evaporates causing a skin to form. This happens more readily in whole milk because fat aids in the coagulation of the proteins. If the skin is allowed to fully develop, heat will be trapped underneath the skin and cause the milk to boil over. One way to combat this is to constantly stir the milk to break up the clumps of protein and keep the skin from forming. However, vigorously whisking the milk surface to form a foam (do this once the milk is above approximately 120F so that the foam will not dissipate) will also protect the surface from forming a skin. The reasons for this are fairly complicated, having to do with the behavior of milk proteins in bubbles. Bubbles force the milk proteins to form a regular structure that resists clumping. (Think latte foam!) Since evaporation of water tends to harden the skin, covering the containers used for culturing the yogurt will also discourage the formation of a skin over the yogurt.
One note using the bread proofer, the bottom of the jars seem to get too warm, and that is where the yogurt was very grainy, so putting something under to defer the heat may be a key, but the yogurt was great
Thank you for your feedback. When we make yogurt, we have found placing jars around the perimeter of the interior of the Proofer, rather than in the center allows more even warmth distribution. Some customers enjoy making single serve smaller jars of yogurt and they use our Shelf-Kit to adding the additional shelf of jars. The Shelf-Kit also has legs which can swivel down, allowing more clearance (2″) from the bottom heating plate. We’ve found this feature helpful during long overnight pre-ferments of dough and this would likely be helpful in more even warmth in your yogurt jars. We are happy to hear you are enjoying making yogurt. The recipe is one of our customer favorites.
I have some new mason jars that have white plastic tops. Does it matter if they are plastic or the traditional metal canning jar tops? And do the directions change if I used smaller jars?
Jeanne, You can use either the white plastic or the metal canning jar lids. It will not affect the results of your yogurt. And the effect on temperature is minimal when using smaller jars.
Hi I’m in Sydney, Australia and owns a Brod &Taylor Proofer which I use for bread making only. Will definitely try culturing yoghurt in it. How to make the yoghurt like the store bought type … Creamy yoghurt with a fruit layer? Thanks.
Sally, Thank you for your purchase and interst in making your own yogurt. The Custard-Style Yogurt is our customer favorite. If you would like to add fruit, granola or another topping we generally recommend adding the topping or flavoring the day you will enjoy eating it. We have prepared a large round piece of plastic wrap under the lid with toppings resting above the yogurt on the plastic and beneath the jar lid. This way the ingredients, such as granola, stay crisp and fresh and are ready to combine when you are ready to mix and enjoy the yogurt. Simply slide the ingredients onto the yogurt and discard the plastic wrap. You can also add softened room temperature jam or fresh fruit to the top of refrigerated and firm yogurt the day you plan to eat the yogurt. Enjoy.
Looks interesting and I want to try it. I’ve been reading the comments and it brings a lot of thought into it for me. I am wondering when and how to flavor the yogurt? I like vanilla flavor and I do appreciate some sweetness to it. I’m not a fan of really tart yogurt. Are there instructions on when/how/how much to add to make a sweeter/flavored yogurt? Thanks!
Trish, Thank you for your interest. Generally we prefer to add sweetener at the time we are ready to enjoy eating or during the day we will be eating the yogurt. If you are adding maple syrup or honey, generally 2-3 teaspoons per cup is sufficient. For vanilla flavor, we add about 1/4 teaspoon per cup or to taste. You can try a smaller quantity to test until you’ve found the perfect sweetness to your liking. Good luck and enjoy trying different sweeteners and flavors. This Custard-Style Yogurt is our customers favorite recipe.
I use the Brød & Taylor Folding Proofer & Slow Cooker for my yogurt recipe. I heat 4 cups milk and one cup heavy whipping cream to 190 degrees and hold for twenty minutes stirring with a whisk occasionally. I then cool the mixture in an ice bath to 120 degrees stirring with the whisk while cooling to make sure the temperature is even. I remove from heat and temper my yogurt starter (from the previous batch). I then add the rest of the milk/cream mixture stirring constantly. I place the finished mixture in the proofer and maintain the temperature at 110 degrees for 10 hours. Here’s the secret I have learned about whey separation. I get perfect yogurt with no whey separation by placing a glass pie plate upside down on the wire rack as a pedestal for my yogurt mixture. It raises the bottom of the yogurt container about one inch higher in the proofing box, a little further away from the heating element. Haven’t had whey separation one time since making this adjustment. I make yogurt once a week religiously. And yes, the heavy whipping cream makes a decadent yogurt.
Richard, Thank you for sharing your method, experience, and success! We have not tried making yogurt with heavy whipping cream but will add it to our list of future kitchen testing to do. All the best to you.
Hi – I was wondering about the initial heating of the milk… If you just heat the milk to 115 F – add the starter – and let the mixture sit in a warm environment, will it turn to yogurt eventually? The reason I ask is that I was under the impression that store bought milk (being pasteurized already) did not need the initial scorching. Reading your article it looks like something else happens in that initial heating to 195 F. Yes, I’m new in the kitchen 🙂 thx – Nik
Nik, Thank you for your question. Yes, it is possible to make yogurt at lower temperatures and you could be successful. However, we recommend a method with food safety in mind and the method also allows you to repeat the same process with consistent results. After making this yogurt recipe one or two times you likely won’t even need to look at the recipe, because the recipe is so simple. This has been our customers experience and they have confidence the yogurt contains only healthy bacterial cultures when using this Hi-Low recipe. The recipe you are asking about is also the #1 customer favorite. There are two important concepts for creating thick, creamy yogurt: holding milk at 195 ºF / 90 ºC for ten minutes before culturing, and allowing the yogurt to set at a lower temperature. Yogurt made from milk kept below 170 ºF / 77 ºC is thinner and tastes fresh, a little fruity and more tart, while yogurt made from milk held at 195 ºF / 90 ºC for 10 minutes is noticeably thicker and tastes less tart and somewhat creamy/nutty/eggy. Heating milk before culturing denatures one of the main whey proteins, lactoglobulin, which allows it to join in the mesh (instead of remaining inactive) and effectively increases the amount of protein in the milk that will be available to thicken the yogurt. Milk needs to be held at 195 ºF / 90 ºC for ten minutes to denature most of the lactoglobulin. When available, higher-protein, richer milks like Jersey or Guernsey make wonderful yogurt. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance and enjoy your Proofer and making yogurt!
Wow – everything I wanted to know about milk but was (n’t) afraid to ask. That’s very helpful. thx
This recipe has given me the creamiest yogurt ever made. I own yogurt machines but this proofer is simply the answer. I usually give 3-4 hrs. for 4 qt. mason jars. Then place it in a refig. too good to give away. Holding temp. at 195 F. for 10 mins. is challenging but I have not figured an easier way to accomplish this.
Joe, Thank you for contacting us with feedback. This recipe is a customer favorite. Directions to simplify holding the temperature will depend on whether you are using an electric or a gas stove to heat the milk. If using gas: 1. Gently stir the entire contents & shut off the heat at 195 F 2. cover the pot, leave on the warm burner frame & wait about 5 minutes. 3. remove cover & very briefly stir the yogurt all the way to the bottom of the pot. 4. check the temperature and if it is too cool turn on the heat, while stirring occasionally and heat just to reach 195 F. 5. Turn off heat and let rest covered for the remainder of the 10 minutes. We consistently only have to add a bit of heat once during the 10 minutes. (Other factors such as the volume of milk you are heating and the thickness/type of pot you are using could require you to add heat more than once.) After you have a method for keeping a consistent 195 F and if you use the same volume of milk, same pot, etc. you will be able to repeat the same process with each batch. If using Electric: Use the same process as for gas except remove the pot from the burner to a cool burner with the pot covered and place back on the burner to add heat as needed. If you leave it on the burner you heated with, and if the pot is covered, the temperature would continue to rise higher. With electric burners we have found the covered pot usually needs a couple of added heat sessions. Let us know if we can be of further assistance. All the best to you and making delicious yogurt!
Is it ok to add a little sugar for a slightly sweeter yogurt or does this have to be done at the end
Debbie, We recommend adding sweetener to your ready-to-eat yogurt and super fine sugar works best. If you prefer using a raw larger grain sugar, you can place it in a food processor with the blade spinning for a few minutes and make your own super fine sugar. When superfine sugar is mixed well in the yogurt you can more easily determine the preferred amount to add per cup of yogurt. Thank you for your interest. This recipe is our customer favorite!
So obviously I’m doing something wrong. I have a gas stove. I slowly heated it, stirring constantly to avoid skim on top or on bottom of pan, to 195. I kept it at 195 (maybe my thermometer is bad) which was a slow boil for 10 minutes. Then I turned off and let it cool to 115, at which point I added the existing yogurt. I put it in the proofer at 120 for exactly 1 hour. Then I dropped to 86. Checked after 1 more hour, and it was watery. Checked after 4 hours, watery. Took out after 9 hours. Still pretty thin even after refrigerated. I started with Raw Milk. Does that make a difference? It is really just watery milk with a little thickening, and I mean very little. What could I be doing wrong? I want this to work!
DK, 212F is the minimum temperature you must reach for a slow boil. We suspect your thermometer is not working properly. If your thermometer is reading a lower than an actual highertemperature you may have introduced the yogurt starter at a temperature which is too hot which would have destroyed the healthy bacterial culture (resulting in no thickening of the yogurt). Raw milk is normally not a factor in the results as long as the dairy cows are healthy. Our employees use raw milk often and with great success. We use a digital quick-read thermometer. (Thermapen or another brand) Good luck on the next batch after you buy or borrow an accurate thermometer. All the best,
what type of whole milk do u use- homogenized or cream top? Hv u noticed any differences using one over the other?
Thank you for your question. We most often use cream top milk with a live yogurt culture as starter. Homogenized milk also works well using our recipe. Both are heated at a high enough temperature using our recipe that we find little difference in the choice of these milks. The fat in dairy products will produce a creamier and smoother texture and we generally use whole milk. Good luck with your yogurt making!
This is fantastic information, and I’ve particularly found your explanations and responses in the comments to be enlightening! I’ve only made yogurt twice before, and only by scalding first then holding at 43C (109F) for between 5 and 12 hours. (I’m still experimenting to find the best balance of low tartness, but also lower lactose left in the yogurt after straining the whey.) I have a bit of a food science question, though: what is happening and what’s the science behind first incubating at 49C (120F) then dropping to 30C (86F) for the remainder of the time? I always thought the live cultures needed to stay under 45C or they’d start dying? And what does the drop in temperature do for helping the yogurt set better? Thanks in advance!!
Ben, Thank you for your question and comments. The more protein in milk, the thicker the yogurt. The casein (protein) clusters in milk thicken yogurt by unraveling and forming a three-dimensional mesh when exposed to the lactic acid created by culturing. Heating milk before culturing denatures one of the main whey proteins, lactoglobulin, which allows it to join in the mesh (instead of remaining inactive) and effectively increases the amount of protein in the milk that will be available to thicken the yogurt. The milk needs to be held at 195 ºF / 90 ºC for ten minutes to denature most of the lactoglobulin. A little evaporation during this heating also aids the thickening benefits of this procedure. Lower culturing temperature ensures a smooth yogurt with less risk of whey separation. Higher temperatures and longer culturing times can cause a lumpy texture and excessive whey separation. We start the culture at 120 ºF / 49 ºC, a temperature that speeds the yogurt through the earlier stages of culturing. Then as culturing progresses and the rising acidity begins to inhibit any potentially problematic microbes, we turn down the Proofer to 86 ºF / 30 ºC. The method works well, and culturing takes just 2-4 hours instead of 12. All the best to you in yogurt making and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Can the slow cook function on the proofer be safely used to heat the milk to and hold it at 195 degrees? If so, are there any precautions one needs to be aware of?
Mike You can definitely heat milk in the proofer to 195F using the slow cook mode. It will be slow – but it will avoid any danger of burning on the bottom of the pot. It will be good to whisk the milk when it reaches about 120-140F to avoid forming a skin on the surface. The bubbles prevent this. If you whisk the milk when it is cold the bubbles will dissipate. One gallon of cold milk may take about 2 hours to heat, so it is not the fastest method!
Thank you. I’ll try it. I like the idea of using just one piece of equipment to do the whole process
What yogurt culture(s) work best with your custard style recipe? I would like specific culture names, not a company if you would please. I have no idea what culture tastes best. I love a number of store varieties from Greek to regular thin-set yogurt. I’m going to buy an heirloom starter, but I don’t know what strain makes the best-tasting yogurt. I would like something that’s going to make a nice thick and creamy yogurt. I’ver heard that bacillus bulgaricus variety is the best. Is that true? Thank you – Karen
Karen, Thank you for your question. Here in Williamstown, MA we have the benefit of more than one farm with available grass fed cows milk yogurt. This has been our preference to use as a starter culture. When you reserve a sealed small amount of each batch it becomes our starter for the next batch. Through our testing years ago, we noticed yogurt starter cultures containing Lactobacillus Casei bacterium generally resulted in a thicker and more smooth yogurt. This could in part result from this particular species of Lactobacillus documented to have a wide pH and temperature range. Milk with a higher protein content can also develop a thicker yogurt. Both of these steps help yogurt utilize more of the whey proteins in milk for thickening and stabilizing the texture. We did try a dry bacillus bulgaricus variety but found the flavor not to our liking. However, many people enjoy this variety. Heating the milk before culturing also determines how thick the yogurt will be. If you just heat the milk to 165°F briefly and then cool, the yogurt will be thinner and more tart when it sets. If you heat the milk to 195°F and hold it there for ten minutes, the yogurt will be milder and thicker when it sets. The process at 195°F denatures whey proteins in the milk, allowing them to contribute to the solidification of the yogurt. For further information regarding L. casei bacterium you can find Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking and also W.J. Lee and J. A. Lucey’s research on yogurt making methods. All the best to you in yogurt making!
Hello, I’m making this right now. I’m curious if I can leave my custard style yogurt to incubate for 12 hours as I’m going to bed soon. Or will that ruin it? I was going to make my usual 12 hour version until I stumbled across this site and decided to try your custard recipe. Thank you! Stephanie
Hi Stephanie- Generally speaking if you let the custard incubate for longer periods of time you with this recipe will wind up with a yogurt that more sour than if you take it out sooner. Also depending on the time of year, and what your cows have been feeding on, you might end up with more whey than you would have otherwise.
Does agitating the yogurt before it is fully set have any sort of impact on the final product?
Hi Sophie, Our understanding is when making home made yogurt you do not want to agitate the yogurt during the culturing process because it will likely result in more separation of the whey.
I have previously made yoghurt using a yoghurt maker and dry culture. Do you need to change anything in the method when using dry culture. Do you need to make any changes if you do not use full cream milk
Our high low method will work with full cream milk. If using dry culture, you may need to activate the culture before making yogurt with this recipe. Although there can be variation, we find that some dry cultures require several feedings before they “get going”. The supplier of your dry culture will be your best resource to make sure you are handling it correctly.
Thank you for the terrific recipes. What adjustments should I make if using 2% milk?
Hi Elizabeth – If you’re using 2% milk there aren’t any specific adjustments you need to make. You might find it produces a slightly different final product, but no changes need to be made.
Help! How do I know when to use the proofer mode and when to use the slow cooker mode? In this recipe I don’t think it specifies and in the slow cooker mode I can’t reduce temp to 86! Can only reduce in increments. Do I start with slow cooker mode at 120 and then go to proofer mode? And what is the difference I’m the modes!!! Thanks for your help !!!
Kristen – You should use the Proofer mode for this recipe. It does specify it in the instructions, but it is easy to miss.
I own a Sourdough Home as well as the proofer. I’m wondering if I could use the high-low technique and achieve similar results in the Sourdough Home as I only need to make one jar.
Susan – You can certainly use the Sourdough Home to make yogurt. We have not tried the high-low method with the Sourdough Home, but we suspect it will work. Because of its design, the Sourdough Home will take longer to drop down in temperature than the Proofer, so you may want to culture at 120°F for slightly less time (maybe 40-45 minutes) before dropping the temperature to 86°F. Alternatively, you can keep the temperature at a steady 110°F for 5 to 10 hours. Let us know if you give it a go!
Made this yesterday afternoon. Used the microwave to heat and hold. Cooled in the sink and then put into the Sourdough Home at 49C (120F) for 40 minutes. Reduced heat to 30C (86F). Checked after two hours and it was still liquid. Checked again at three hours and it had set. Put it in the fridge overnight. Tasted this morning. The top 1/2 inch was foamy from whisking so had a slight weird mouth feel. Under this the yogurt is extremely creamy. It is also very mild. I’m a very big fan of the texture, but I would also like to achieve slightly more tartness. Any tips? Thanks for your help!
Susan – We’re glad to hear using the Sourdough Home worked well for you! For more tartness, we recommend letting the yogurt incubate for longer. Even if the yogurt appears set, you can continue to leave it in the Sourdough Home and it should produce a more tart yogurt. It may take some experimentation with timing to dial in on what suits your taste. Try starting with an additional hour of time and adjusting from there.
Your instructions are very informative. You advise using high protein milk. How high a percentage or grams of protein per 100 ml of milk should I look for? Thank you.
Kathleen – There can be some variation in protein levels, but most milk in the grocery store contains about 3.5g of protein per 100ml. Try to find milk from Jersey or Guernsey cows, as they produce excellent results for yogurt production and are generally slightly higher in protein. Most grocery store milk doesn’t specify the breed of cows, but smaller local dairy farms often do.
Thank you for answering my question about protein content in milk. I have another question. If I use ultra-pasteurized milk (“heated to a minimum of 280 F for at least 2 seconds”) which is available here in Mexico, do I still need to bring it to 195 F?
Kathleen – Heating the milk to 195°F (90°C) and holding it there for 10 minutes before cooling and culturing it will significantly impact the texture and flavor of your yogurt and tends to produce a thicker, creamier, and less tart yogurt. This is because heating to this higher temperature denatures the whey protein lactoglobulin, allowing it to participate in thickening the yogurt. Additionally, the slight evaporation that occurs during this heating process concentrates the milk solids, further contributing to the thickness. If you use ultra-pasteurized milk, you can skip this step and still produce yogurt that sets and is safe to eat, the texture may be different, and possibly thinner, than yogurt made with milk heated to 195°F. Hope that helps!