How to make yogurt at home: technology. Yogurt recipes at home: in a yogurt maker, a thermos, a saucepan

Yogurt is a fermented milk product, which is obtained due to the fact that the lactic acid bacteria that make up yogurt, under certain conditions, ferment (ferment) milk (milk sugar lactose), giving the product a characteristic taste, color and texture.

Yogurt is considered useful product, since lactic acid bacteria friendly to the human microflora help to establish and maintain activity gastrointestinal tract, normalize bowel function, stimulate metabolic processes.

Due to the fact that yogurt bacteria ferment lactose, yogurt, like most fermented milk products, is digested and absorbed better and easier than milk. Quite often, people who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein can consume yogurt (but if you are affected by a similar problem, it is better to consult a doctor first).

So, the essence of the production of yogurt is that live yogurt sour-milk cultures are introduced into milk (usually, more about yogurt cultures we will talk a little lower). A suitable constant temperature is created (optimally - 42-45 o C, this is important to consider, since bacteria die at t above 50 o C), which lasts for 8-12 hours. During this time, bacteria ferment milk sugar, and yogurt is obtained. To complete the fermentation process, get the best consistency and keep the bacteria alive after the required time, the yogurt is cooled to ~ t 5 ° C. As you can see, the process is quite simple and quite feasible at home.

Before continuing the article, I suggest you take part in a short survey.

Homemade yogurt (how to make yogurt at home in a yogurt maker and without).

Now consider the process of making yogurt at home in more detail. For the preparation of yogurt, we also need a starter culture from lactic acid bacteria. (About some reasons for failure, for example: yogurt curdled, too much , very sour taste, )

Milk.

If you have the opportunity to use fresh village milk, the quality and safety of which you are sure of, that's fine, but it must be boiled for several minutes. If you are using industrial milk, then I prefer pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurized milk is also recommended to be preheated to 90 ° C, ultra-pasteurized milk is safe and completely ready for use, it does not require boiling, it is enough to heat it up to desired temperature. The foam formed during heating of milk must be carefully removed. Then the milk must be cooled to a temperature of ~ 38-45 ° C. This is the optimal temperature, but if you do not use a thermometer, then to determine the temperature “by eye”, drop a few drops of milk on your wrist. Milk should be hot, but not scalding. AT this case underheating is better than overheating, because at t more than 50 ° C, as I mentioned earlier, lactic acid bacteria begin to die. For product safety reasons, heating milk for making yogurt is recommended by all yogurt maker manufacturers and by most recipes. In practice, if you take pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized milk at room temperature (I would recommend boiling fresh milk anyway, especially if you give yogurts to children), ferment it with industrial yogurt and place it in a yogurt maker, then you will still get yogurts (without a yogurt maker I have not experienced this option, and if I use dry sourdough, then I heat the milk).

To boil or heat milk, use a stainless steel saucepan with a thick bottom or, if the stove allows, a ceramic or glass one. enamelware it is better not to use, as milk burns very quickly in such dishes.

By the way, you don't have to use cow's milk. You can also ferment goat, sheep, soy, and possibly some other milk.

Leaven.

You can use it as a starter, you can find it in pharmacies or buy it in stores selling products for healthy eating, including online stores. The composition of such a sourdough usually includes the classic yogurt bacteria Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bulgarian stick, and Streptococcus thermophilus, thermophilic streptococcus. It is prepared according to the instructions. At the same time, the taste and texture of yogurt may differ from the usual store. Yogurt sometimes turns out to be more viscous, slippery, this happens due to a violation of the cooking technology. Or you can use natural yogurt (or bio yogurt) industrial production. One standard cup of yogurt (~125 ml) per liter of milk. The main task is to mix the sourdough and milk as best as possible, to do this, add to the sourdough not a large number of warm milk, stir thoroughly until a homogeneous consistency is obtained, and then dilute the resulting mixture in the rest of the milk, mix thoroughly again. For the next batch of yoghurts, you can use homemade yoghurt as a starter. There is an opinion that yogurt can be re-fermented 4-10 times, but it must be taken into account that we cannot provide sterile conditions at home, therefore, with each re-fermentation, the composition of yogurt changes and not always for the better.

Dishes.

Warm milk, which should be at a temperature of 42-45 ° C for 6-12 hours, is perfect place for the reproduction of not only beneficial, but also harmful microorganisms, so the cleanliness of dishes must be given Special attention. Before use, all the necessary utensils must be doused with boiling water, and if possible, then sterilized, for example, in a double boiler.

Yoghurt maker.

The yogurt maker, and other electrical appliances that allow you to make yogurt, are perfect solution for those who often pamper their family with homemade fermented milk products. The main advantage of this device is that it maintains the optimum temperature throughout the fermentation of yoghurt, which ensures a very good result. The yogurt maker takes up little space and comes with convenient jars-lids for yogurt. The yogurt maker reduces your direct participation in the preparation of yogurt to a minimum: mix milk with sourdough, pour it into jars, press the "pour" button. and that's it! After 8-10 hours, enjoy the result (the consistency will be optimal if you put the yoghurts in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours after fermentation).

Making yogurt without a yogurt maker.

After we have mixed warm milk and sourdough, we need to create a constant temperature for yogurt ~ 42-45 o C for 6-10 hours. This can be achieved in several ways:

• you can use a thermos;
• you can cover the container with yogurt warm blanket(and cover with a pillow) and leave next to the battery;
• you can arrange yogurts in portioned jars, tighten with cling film, put in a flat shape, carefully pour warm water into the mold, water should not get into the yogurt, tighten the whole mold again with foil and put in a warm place without drafts (for example, in a tighter turned off, but preheated to 50o oven).

Whether you are making yogurt in a yogurt maker or not, do not disturb the yogurt as much as possible during the ripening process: do not stir, do not open, do not shake.

The cooking time for homemade yogurt is approximately 6-10 hours, depending on how well you manage to maintain the required temperature and on what consistency and taste you would like to achieve. At a constant optimal temperature 6-8 hours is quite enough, at a falling temperature it will take 8-10, and possibly 12 hours. The longer the yogurt ferments, the more acidic it becomes.

In order to competently complete the fermentation process, yogurt must be cooled, as mentioned above, you need to put the product in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. In this case, you will not only get a denser and more delicate texture, but also extend the shelf life of yogurt by preserving live bacteria in it.

Yogurt keeps well in the refrigerator for 7-8 days.

Additives for yogurt (sugar, fruits, nuts, muesli, etc.).

Natural yoghurts are great, but what if you like sweet yoghurts or yoghurts with fruits, chocolate, muesli, etc.?

Of course, you can add all these sweets to yogurt at the moment when you lay it out in portioned cups before sourdough, but there is one but!

Yogurt bacteria ferment milk sugar, lactose, but if you add sugar or sweet fruits to yogurt before the end of the fermentation process, the bacteria will switch to the fructose contained in these products and begin to ferment not lactose, but, say, fruits. And citrus fruits and other fruits with a high content of fruit acids, such as, for example, kiwi, do not combine with milk at all. And upon contact with these fruits, the milk will curdle even before the fermentation process begins. Therefore, it is much more useful (and safer) to introduce all kinds of additives (fresh fruits, jams, syrups, jams, muesli, nuts, dried fruits, cookies, chocolate) already into ready-made yogurts, well, or at the time of completion of the fermentation process, before cooling.

By the way, if you decide to sweeten the finished yogurt with sugar, then it’s better to first dissolve it in a small amount of water or make syrup, or take powdered sugar so that it doesn’t “creak” on your teeth.

Vanilla yogurt.

If you are preparing vanilla yoghurts and using not vanilla sugar, which is also possible, but a vanilla pod, then after making a longitudinal cut on the pod, lower it into milk and heat the milk together with vanilla. When you lay out the yogurts in cups, then dip a small piece of vanilla pod, which warmed up with milk, into each cup. Pieces of the pod will need to be removed from the finished yogurt before use. If you clean the pulp of the pod and add it to milk, the flavor will be more pronounced, and the pod itself, after warming up in milk, can not be added to cups with yogurt, but immediately removed, but there will be small black particles of vanilla in the yogurt. According to my feelings, this does not spoil the taste in any way, and the appearance of yogurt turns out to be unusual, colorful. However, some children, and even adults, are suspicious of such yogurt.

Fat content of yogurt. Creamy yogurt.

The fat content of homemade yogurt depends on the fat content of the milk in which you prepare the yogurt, as well as whether you add cream to the milk. The lower fat milk you use, the more low-fat yogurt, and therefore less high-calorie product, You'll get.

Creamy yogurt (cream is added to milk during its preparation) is more dense and tender. Cream can be added directly to milk before fermentation, but be careful. If you heat milk with cream to high temperatures, then the cream may, as it were, melt, separate from the milk, float to the surface. greasy spots similar to melted butter. And then, when you add the starter, mix everything well and pour the yogurt into fermentation jars, a hard greasy film may form on the surface of the finished yogurt. It's not scary, after the fermentation and cooling process is completed, just carefully remove this film from the yogurt. Such a film often appears when you use fresh milk "from under the cow" and not completely skimmed cream remains in the milk.

To avoid the formation of a greasy film on creamy yogurt, use industrial (that is, already thermally processed) cream and add it to milk before fermentation, when the milk has already cooled down to t 38-42 o C. I already wrote above that if you use a yogurt maker, then yoghurts will turn out, even if you don’t heat milk at all, but simply take it at room temperature, while you can replace part of the milk with cream, for example, take 200 ml of cream and 800 ml of milk and mix it all well. In this case, you will not have a fatty hard film, the only question is trust in the milk producer and the safety of the product.

Cream can also be added to ready-made yogurt, this will also make it more tender (this option is not suitable for people suffering from milk protein intolerance and lactase deficiency).

Thickness of yogurt.

If you need a dense, thick yogurt, you can use the following methods:

• add a few tablespoons of milk powder to milk before fermenting;
• add peptin or agar-agar to the finished yogurt before cooling;
• add cornstarch to the finished yogurt (1 tsp per standard serving cup 125-140 g). It will also make the yogurt more tender.

Yogurt bacteria.

The history of fermented milk products, and in particular yogurt, has more than one thousand years, but Bulgaria, where yogurt is also called "sour milk", is considered the birthplace of modern real yogurt. It was in Bulgaria that yoghurt fermented milk cultures of Lactobacillus bulgaricus, bacillus bulgaricus (named after Bulgaria), and Streptococcus thermophilus, thermophilic streptococcus, were first discovered, studied and used.

Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, famous biologist, laureate Nobel Prize, studying the issues of aging, found that at the time of the study, of the 36 countries studied, Bulgaria had the largest number of people who had reached the age of 100. For every 1000 people, there were 4 centenarians. In his studies, he associated this fact with the regular use of Bulgarian sour milk by the inhabitants of the country, and, accordingly, yoghurt cultures of Bulgarian sticks, which have such a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora and the body as a whole.

Thus, real yogurt should only contain milk and starter cultures including Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus However, the composition of yogurt is currently not regulated by law in many countries. In addition to yogurt bacteria, or instead of them, lactobacilli or bifidobacteria are used, for example, Lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus bifidus, etc. Of course, these bacteria can also be very useful for the body, they also ferment lactose, contributing to a very tender yogurt-like mass, but this is no longer yogurt and a yoghurt product. In addition, some types of bacteria die after the fermentation of milk, and it is already difficult to call such yogurt “alive”. And there is a category of "yogurts" made using a culture called pima, "pima" makes the "yogurt" mass so thick that it is no longer necessary to add any thickeners to the product, say, natural peptin. This significantly reduces the cost of production, but! The mass turns out to be “slippery” and rather unpleasant in taste, so it is generously flavored with sugar and fruit puree. Can this product be called "yogurt"?

When buying yogurt, read the label.

Thus, when choosing natural yogurt in a store, carefully read the label and pay attention to the following:

• the shelf life of “live” natural yogurt should not exceed 1 month, and indeed, in this case, the shorter the shelf life, the better;
• to increase the shelf life, yogurts are often pasteurized, while the yogurt bacteria die, to be honest, such yogurts should be labeled "heat-treated";
• the composition of yogurt - the less components (especially preservatives, stabilizers, sweeteners, dyes, etc.) in the composition, the better, ideally - milk and yogurt sourdough. By the way, manufacturers rarely write down information about which yogurt cultures are used, but if there is a label indicating the presence of a “live yogurt culture”, this is better than nothing;
• the content of lactic acid bacteria in yogurt at the end of the shelf life should be at least 10 7 CFU (colony-forming units, 10 to the seventh power) per 1 g of the product;
• yogurt must be kept in the refrigerator;

And once again about the sad, giving preference to sweet and fruit yoghurts, still do not console yourself with the hope of high favor such yogurts, especially fruit yogurts, because fruits at least underwent heat treatment, and therefore lost the lion's share of their benefits, and in order for lactic acid bacteria not to ferment fruit sugar, the manufacturer most likely had to add a number of chemicals to the product.

Summary. What are the benefits of homemade yogurt?

• You can make absolutely natural yogurt without artificial additives, colors, preservatives.
• You can adjust the calorie content and consistency of yogurt by choosing more or less full-fat milk (yogurt calorie table - at this link).
• You can make sugar-free yoghurts using, for example, natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, Jerusalem artichoke syrup, fresh fruit or vegetable juices and purees, and add muesli, fiber, nuts, and dried fruits.
• Pouring yogurt on fresh seasonal fruits or using it as a salad dressing will only increase the usefulness of your table.
• By using special yoghurt starters (eg dried starter cultures), you can be sure which yoghurt bacteria your yogurt is enriched with.

The use of yogurt in cooking

Finally, a few words about how yogurt can be used in cooking.

In addition to traditional, natural or sweet yoghurts, as well as yoghurts with the addition of all kinds of fruits, yoghurts go well with various herbs (dill, parsley, mint, etc., etc.) and spices. Yoghurts can be salted, peppered, garlic is added to them, they make a wonderful sauce or salad dressing.

At high temperatures, yogurt curdles, so if you add it to hot dishes, then in order for it not to curdle, yogurt should be at room temperature, it is better to add (mix) it at the very end of cooking, when the temperature is no longer so high or the dish is simmering on very low heat.

Gettyimages/Fotobank.ru

homemade yogurt

Natural yogurt consists of three components: whole milk, Bulgarian stick (Lactobacillus bulgaricus) and thermophilic lactic streptococcus (Streptococcus thermophilus).

These microorganisms are extremely useful: they normalize the intestinal flora, stop the growth of putrefactive and pathogenic bacteria, strengthen the immune system, weakened by poor ecology and low-quality products. Stimulate the absorption of the most important amino acids and vitamins (including rare K and groups B, D), calcium, iron.

Natural yogurt should be free of preservatives, stabilizers, flavorings, colorants, sugar additives and sweeteners. The shelf life of natural yogurt is no more than a month. The problem is that during industrial production and transportation, beneficial bacteria have very little chance of surviving. And if there is a meager amount of them in yogurt, the effect of it tends to zero.

How to make natural yogurt at home?

If you want natural yogurt, it's safest to make your own. I asked Irina Rozhkova, senior researcher at the Central Microbiology Laboratory of the All-Russian Research Institute of the Dairy Industry, to give step by step instructions and describe typical mistakes that we allow when we take yogurt at home.

Step 1. Buy a Yogurt Starter

Denis Bykovskikh

Sourdough is sold in pharmacies. In Moscow, it can also be purchased at the All-Russian Research Institute of the Dairy Industry. It is enough to prepare several liters of yogurt.

Not worth it: use store-bought yogurt as a starter, even without additives and preservatives. The point is that due to the characteristics fermented milk product an extraneous contaminating microflora (most often E. coli) is inevitably formed in it. When fermenting, such pathogenic microflora can increase, which leads to infections and food poisoning.

Step 2. Choose milk

Ideal - pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized milk with a short shelf life. Dairy experts trust, for example, the products of the Obninsk Dairy Plant, Valio and Ruzskoye Moloko.

Not worth: make yogurt with sterilized milk. The European Union is already abandoning this technology: vitamins and other valuable substances are lost in such milk. In addition, a lot of salt and stabilizers are added to the sterilized drink.

Step 3. Dilute the starter

Bring a glass of milk (150-200 ml) to a boil and cool to + 40-45 degrees. Add 5-7 ml of this milk to the starter bottle. Shake lightly. Mix the resulting liquid from the bottle with the rest of the milk. Pour into a thermos or yogurt maker. Place in a warm place, such as near the radiator, or cover with a pillow. Ferment eight to ten hours. Liquid sourdough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Not worth: checking the temperature of milk with your finger is not hygienic. Apply the container to your cheek - if the skin tolerates, the temperature is ideal. Do not pour ingredients into plastic container. Even with slight heating, plastic can release carcinogenic phenol-formaldehyde resins into milk.

Step 4: Prepare the Yogurt

Boil and cool to + 40-45 degrees one liter of milk. Put a tablespoon of diluted sourdough in it. Pour into glass jar, thermos or yogurt maker and ferment for five to six hours. This yogurt can be stored in the refrigerator for five to seven days.

Not worth: add milk powder for density - this will definitely not add useful qualities to your homemade yogurt. Do not ignore the rules of sanitary safety - always treat the dishes with boiling water.

You can prepare delicious and healthy yogurt at home with or without a yogurt maker. Despite the abundance of fermented milk products in supermarkets, most people prefer natural products cooked at home. They can be given to children, adding various berries and fruits, used for dressing salads. Natural yogurt contains great amount trace elements and beneficial bacteria essential for normal operation digestive system. This dietary product perfect option breakfast for the whole family.

You don't have to be a great cook to make yogurt at home. A small set of products is enough, a little free time and a wonderful salad dressing, a delicious dessert or a light snack will be ready. There are no preservatives, dyes, substances harmful to the body in homemade yogurt. It can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a week, so you can immediately prepare it for future use for a long time.

Basic principles of product preparation:

1. Ingredients. The main component for the preparation of yogurt is natural milk - cow's or goat's. The second most important is sourdough, which can be ready-made or cooked at home.
2. Correct heating of milk. In order for the product to turn out, milk should be heated no higher than 42 degrees. If there is no confidence in the quality of the product, you can boil it (reduce the benefits) and cool it to the desired temperature.
3. Adding starter. Sourdough is added to milk according to the instructions or in the right proportions. For example, if store-bought yogurt is used as a starter, then it is introduced into the cow product in a ratio of 1/10.
4. Creating favorable conditions for beneficial microorganisms. In order for bacteria to become active, they need to create favorable conditions, namely to keep warm as long as possible. For this, a container with warm milk and the introduced sourdough is wrapped for several hours (from 4 to 9).

Add other ingredients to yogurt after it has been prepared, otherwise it may not turn out. From the finished product, you can select a couple of tablespoons of the resulting mass, place in a container and freeze, using next time as a starter.

How to choose a yogurt starter

The following starter cultures can be used to make yogurt:

1. A ready-made component that can be bought at a supermarket or pharmacy. Most often, it is sold in powder form and contains live bacteria. Sourdoughs differ, in addition to price and name, in different composition and properties. Some contain probiotics, others contain bifidobacteria. There are in the composition of the Bulgarian stick and streptococci, which, when released into warm milk, increase the production of lactic acid. It, in turn, helps to fight pathogenic flora. There are special starter cultures for the children's body containing a number of useful substances. When choosing starter cultures for yogurt, you should focus on your taste and a trusted manufacturer.
2. A store-bought fermented milk product may well become a starter for yogurt. It is added in a ratio of 1:10. However, it is important to remember that the amount of nutrients in the finished product will be much lower.
3. A good starter for yogurt is a finished product itself. By selecting a little thick drink and placing it in the refrigerator, you can save on store products next time. You can store sourdough in the refrigerator no more four days, in freezer- up to several months.

Live bacteria die at high temperatures, so if the milk is very hot, yogurt will not turn out. It is best to check the temperature with a special thermometer. It is imperative to ferment milk in a sterile container.

Classic yogurt in a yogurt maker

Already after 5-8 hours the yogurt in the yogurt maker will be ready. The longer it ferments at the right temperature, the thicker the final product will be. To prepare a fermented milk product in a yogurt maker, you should stock up on full-fat milk and sourdough.

1. The milk is poured into a suitable container and boiled on the stove. Next, it should be cooled to the desired temperature.
2. In a small container, dilute a little milk (about 30 ml) with sourdough, then add the mixture to the main amount of white liquid. Mix.
3. The resulting liquid is poured into a bowl or small cups in a yogurt maker, after which they are placed on a tray, and the yogurt maker itself is covered with a lid.
4. The timer is set to the desired time.

When the fermented milk product is cooked, it should be cooled at room temperature, and then sent to the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Some starter cultures, before adding them to milk, should be infused in a yogurt maker for 9 hours and only then used for fermentation.

Cooking in a multicooker in cups

A slow cooker is an excellent technique for preparing various dishes, including yogurt. In it, you can cook a delicious dietary product without sourdough.

To do this, stock up:

• milk - 2.5 l;
• cream - 700 ml;
• granulated sugar - 7 tbsp. l.;
• ready-made yogurt without additives - 200 g.

The high-fat cow product, together with cream, is poured into a bowl and boiled for 7 minutes in the “Baking” mode. After, when it cools down to the desired temperature, yogurt is introduced and the mixture is cooked in the "Heating" mode for 120 minutes. After infusion for 4 hours, the product is poured into a sterile container and sent to the refrigerator. Yogurt in a slow cooker has a good density and taste. Optionally, you can add any natural fillers.

A simple option for making yogurt in a thermos

An excellent recipe without a yogurt maker is preparing a fermented milk drink in a regular thermos. The recipe includes milk and sourdough.

Next, you should perform several steps in stages:

1. Boil and cool the cow product to 39 degrees.
2. Stir the starter with a small amount of milk, add to the main mass.
3. Pour the liquid into a thermos and leave for 5 hours.

For reliability, the container can be wrapped. Before using a thermos, it must be poured over with boiling water. Ready drink to use for its intended purpose.

Homemade recipe in the oven

To prepare a fermented milk product, you should stock up:

• milk - 3 l;
• sourdough or a jar of finished yogurt;
• granulated sugar (optional).

The liquid is boiled and cooled to 39 degrees. While it is cooling, preheat the oven to 45 degrees. The sourdough product, sugar, is introduced into the cooled milk, and it is sent to a basin of water in a sterile container of a suitable volume, and then into the oven with it. There the product must be at least 4 hours. Every 60 minutes, the oven must be heated to 45 degrees for several minutes.

How to make Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is low calorie and thick. It does not clot, is rich in magnesium, riboflavin and beneficial bacteria. Prepared yogurt from standard set products - milk and bacterial culture for sourdough.

The first stages of preparation are no different. First, the liquid boils, then cools to 41 degrees. It is entered right amount sourdough, everything is mixed. Next, the container with the product is wrapped and left for at least 10 hours.

When the milk becomes thick, it should be poured into cheesecloth folded 4 times, lowered into a saucepan and sent to the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The resulting thick yogurt is poured into jars and used for food, cooking various dishes.

Thick fermented milk product for children

To strengthen immune system, good functioning of the digestive tract, children should definitely consume fermented milk products.

Making yogurt for babies at home is very easy. For this you should:

1. Buy good, not very fat milk (you can goat), boil it and cool it to the desired temperature.
2. A little white fungus, sourdough or yogurt should be mixed with warm milk, pour it into a sterile container, wrap and leave it for 6 hours.
3. You can add some grated berries, fruits and sugar to the finished product.

Children are allowed to give the product from the age of one. Homemade yogurt is a great alternative to store-bought yogurt. It is natural, safe and much cheaper.

Chocolate drink at home

Delicious and tender chocolate dessert like adults and children.

Preparing is very simple:

1. first, yogurt is prepared on any sourdough and milk, cooled;
2. chocolate is heated in a water bath (several types can be used);
3. using a blender, the sour-milk mass is whipped, into which chocolate is introduced in a thin stream. Stir until smooth.

The finished product is poured into small containers and sent to the cold. Serve dessert garnished with mint leaves, chocolate chips or berries.

Drinkable milk yogurt

To prepare drinking yogurt, you should stock up:

• milk - 2 l;
• prepared yogurt - 4 tbsp. l.

Boil milk, cool to 45 degrees. Add the right amount of fermented milk product, pour into a sterile container, wrap. Insist for 8 hours, cool. Drink, adding muesli, vanillin, sauces.

To improve the taste of a regular fermented milk product, you can use:

• orange slices. They need to be milled, boiled, adding granulated sugar. Ready fruits are laid out on the bottom of the container and poured with a milk drink;
• dried fruits. A few raisins, prunes and dried apricots must be washed, cut into small pieces. After they are covered with sugar, poured with water and boiled for 1-2 minutes. The finished mass is poured into jars, which are then filled with yogurt;
• berries. Strawberries (raspberries, blackberries, black currant) are whipped with a blender and then mixed with ready-made yogurt.

In winter, it is good to add berry or fruit jams to yogurt. Nuts, cereals, rosehip syrup will also help improve the taste.

Homemade yogurt starter cultures: video recipe

What do you need to make yogurt starter?

You will need: - 2 liters of milk (any fat content); - dry sourdough; - a two-liter container; - a towel or a large sheet of paper.

Since beneficial bacteria have the ability to become pathogenic, wash your hands thoroughly before starting work, and use only clean dishes during the preparation of the starter.

You can buy the basis for the starter at the pharmacy. For example, it can be dry starter cultures "Evitalia", "Narine", "Lactobacterin", "Bifidumbacterin". A substance that contains beneficial live bacteria capable of reproduction is suitable.

Many people advise using purchased yogurt, which is positioned as live, as a starter for yogurt. But it is undesirable to do this, because together with him in your homemade yogurt harmful bacteria can also enter and develop during the heating process, which can lead to indigestion or even poisoning.

How to make yogurt starter

After boiling 2 liters of milk, cool it to a temperature of 37–42 °, then remove the foam from it. Dilute the purchased sourdough in warmed milk, and then add this mixture to the cooled boiled milk. Mix the resulting composition thoroughly. Close the container with the contents tightly with a lid. Wrap the bowl with fermented milk in 3-5 layers of thick paper, then wrap it with a thick cloth and put it in a warm place for 11-13 hours to ferment (for example, near a heater or radiator). Next, after cooling the fermented milk, place it in the refrigerator for two hours. After that, you can use the starter to make homemade yogurt.

You can use the original sourdough for up to 18 days.

2 liters of ready-made starter should be divided into parts: - 2/3 for direct consumption, starting the course of treatment (in case you are going to use yogurt in medicinal purposes); - 1/3 for making new portions of homemade yogurt, leaving this part of the current starter in the refrigerator.

To prepare the next portions of yogurt, boil another 2 liters of milk, then cool it to a temperature of 37–42 °. Remove the formed foam. With a clean spoon, add 2/3 cup of the active starter, then mix and close the container tightly with a lid. Wrap the container with fermented milk in 3-5 layers of thick paper, then wrap it in a thick cloth and put it in a heated fermentation room for 8-9 hours. After that, put the fermented milk in the refrigerator. After 3 hours, ready-made yogurt you can eat. Use the rest of the current starter according to the same algorithm, that is, at the rate of 2/3 cup of starter for 2 liters of milk.

Natural yogurt is literally everything. He will perfectly cope with the feeling of hunger, help in record short time get rid of extra pounds, ideal as a healthy breakfast.

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

Natural yogurt is literally everything. It will perfectly cope with the feeling of hunger, help to get rid of extra pounds in record time, ideal as a healthy breakfast.

If you have dull hair, skin rashes, digestive problems or you are just too lazy to cook the first, second and third - enjoy homemade yogurt, getting the maximum benefit and benefit for your body!

And do not think that you will need a yogurt maker to make delicious natural yogurt. Everything is much easier than you could imagine!

5 important rules:

1. Milk must be boiled in order to kill all pathogenic bacteria that may be contained in it. It is recommended to bring even pasteurized milk to a boil.

2. Do not use too hot milk to make yogurt, otherwise the beneficial bacteria will die. The ideal temperature is + 38 ° С ... + 40 ° С, that is, slightly above warm.

3. Cutlery and all the dishes in which you will cook yogurt must be poured over with boiling water.

4. The quality and consistency of homemade yogurt is affected by the fat content of milk, so choose the optimal 3.2-3.5%. Those who do not care about the figure and just want delicious natural yogurt can use milk with a fat content of 6%.

5. Do not shake or stir the fermented product, so as not to destroy the structure, otherwise the yogurt will not ripen.

Classic yogurt in a thermos

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

What do you need:

1 liter of milk

200 g of natural yogurt (carefully study the composition, yogurt must be fresh)

How to cook classic yogurt in a thermos:

1. Boil milk and cool to a temperature of 38-40°C.

2. Rinse the thermos with boiling water, pour out the water and leave for 1-2 minutes until the steam comes out. Then cover with a lid.

3. Combine 100 ml of milk with yogurt and stir so that there are no lumps.

4. Add diluted milk with yogurt to the remaining milk and mix.

5. Pour the resulting mixture into a thermos, close the lid and leave for 6-8 hours.

6. Pour the finished yogurt into small jars and refrigerate for another 8 hours.

Greek yogurt

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

Greek yogurt differs from classical yogurt not only in its consistency, more like a creamy soft cheese, but also in the method of preparation. After traditional fermentation, Greek yogurt is hung in a clean cloth or paper filter to get rid of excess whey, which is why Greek yogurt is also called filtered yogurt.

What do you need:

1 liter of milk

200 g natural yoghurt

How to make Greek yogurt:

2. Dilute yogurt in a small amount of milk.

3. Combine diluted yogurt with the remaining milk in a saucepan. Cover with a lid and wrap with a thick terry towel, or better with a blanket.

4. Leave in a warm place for 6-7 hours, then put in the refrigerator. Do not stir or shake the contents of the pot!

5. Line a colander with several layers of gauze and carefully pour the resulting yogurt.

6. Cover and leave for a few hours until the excess whey is gone. As a result, you should get 350-450 g of real Greek yogurt.

Fruit yogurt in a slow cooker

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

If plain yogurt isn't your thing, make a great low-calorie dessert using fresh summer fruits and berries. Gourmets, your choice!

What do you need:

1 liter of milk

200 g natural yoghurt

200 g fruits or berries

How to cook fruit yogurt in a slow cooker:

1. To prepare yogurt in a slow cooker, thoroughly wash portioned jars, dry and bake in the oven or microwave.

2. Peel the fruit and chop in a blender. If using berries, after the blender, wipe the resulting mixture through a sieve to get rid of small seeds.

3. Boil milk and cool to 40°C. Add natural yogurt and berry-fruit mass to the milk, mix until smooth.

4. Pour the prepared milk into serving jars.

5. Place a clean cloth or silicone mat on the bottom of the multicooker. Place the jars in the slow cooker, pour warm water directly into the bowl so that the jars are 1/3 covered.

6. Turn on the "Yogurt" mode. After 7-8 hours, the jars should be put in the refrigerator, and after another 6 hours you can eat natural yogurt of your own production.

What to do if there is no “Yogurt” mode in the slow cooker:

1. Do everything up to point 6.

2. Jars in the bowl, now close the lid of the multicooker and turn on the “Heating” mode for 15 minutes.

3. After 15 minutes, turn off the mode for 1 hour.

4. Reheat for 15 minutes.

5. Turn off the heating and leave the yogurt for 3 hours. The multicooker lid must be closed at all times!

6. After three hours, put the jars of yogurt in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.

IMPORTANT

When preparing yogurt in a slow cooker, check the temperature of the water - it should not be less than 40 ° C.

Homemade sourdough yogurt

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

Yogurt on pharmacy sourdough is obtained with a delicate creamy taste and a very pleasant texture.

What do you need:

1 liter of milk

1 bottle of sourdough starter (available at any pharmacy)

How to make homemade sourdough yogurt:

1. Boil milk and cool to 40°C.

2. Dissolve dry sourdough in a few tablespoons of milk and pour into the rest of the milk. Pour into portioned glass jars.

3. Cover with cling film or close with lids, wrap with a terry towel, and preferably with a blanket.

4. Leave for ripening for 12-14 hours.

5. Cool in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours and the yogurt is ready to eat!

Natural yogurt in the oven

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

If you don’t have a thermos or a slow cooker, and you always miss the temperature of the milk in the pan, then the recipe for making homemade yogurt in the oven is just for you.

What do you need:

1 liter of milk

200 g of natural yogurt (you can take fresh sour cream with a fat content of 20%)

How to cook natural yogurt in the oven:

1. Boil milk and cool to room temperature.

2. Dilute yogurt / sour cream in 0.5 tbsp. glass of milk.

3. Combine the resulting starter with the rest of the milk and mix gently.

4. Pour milk into portioned glass jars.

5. Preheat the oven to 50°C and switch off.

6. Arrange jars of milk on a baking sheet, cover each jar with foil, packing tightly.

7. Place the tray in the oven and close the door.

8. Turn on the oven at 50°C every hour for 5-7 minutes. Cooking time for yogurt is 6-8 hours.

9. Put the finished yogurt in the refrigerator overnight. Sweet tooth can in each jar, before pouring milk, put 1-2 tbsp. homemade jam. published