Yoghurt

[faffa_70]

Is anyone able to give me some ideas, hints, tips (anything LOL) when it comes to flavouring yoghurt made in the TM?  My kids love yoghurt and we go through tubs of it (they will suffer natural yoghurt with some honey through it) Vanilla is probably the most popular, followed by honey and then fruit. I am just really unsure how to go about it....

As much as yoghurt is good for you, I am really sure yoghurt made in the Tm is much much better for you

[baf65]

i have no idea, but i have tried making yoghurt in the TM with no luck...i followed the recipe in the book but it just didnt work.  The book recipe says cook for 10mins at 90, but my demonstrator said 30mins at 90, neither option worked!!

[Thermomixer]

Hi faffa_70

I tend to just use natural yoghurt, coz I'm weird and LUV the taste or use it for tzatziki etc.

Years ago I used to flavour it moe and used all kinds of things, but jams with chunky fruit is good, berries cooked with just enough sugar or honey to sweeten and maybe a little arrowroot or cornflour to thicken a bit, you can chop up lots of different fruits and drain really well before mixing through. 

The sorts of stuff people put on ice-cream mix well and have enough flavour to come thru.

You can make honeycomb or praline and chop it up a bit in the TMX and mix thru for some textural changes.  Nuts and dried fruits chopped up go well too.

Make the yoghurt, let it set then gently mix the other stuff thru'.  It needs to be fairly free of excess moisture - which is why things like jams/toppings mixed with lightly cooked fruits work well.

Check out the shelves of the yoghurt section of your local shops for ideas - there are plenty.

I will check my old books for other ideas -

[Thermomixer]

i have no idea, but i have tried making yoghurt in the TM with no luck...i followed the recipe in the book but it just didnt work.  The book recipe says cook for 10mins at 90, but my demonstrator said 30mins at 90, neither option worked!!

I don't see why you should need to cook it for that long.  I used to just bring it nearly to the boil for 10-15 minutes and then let it cool.

NOW, the biggest problem will be if you add the culture/yoghurt before the temperature drops below 39-40 degrees, as you will kill the good bugs in the starter.  Best to leave until you are sure it is below 37 degrees  before adding culture and then I don't cook for 10 minutes on 37.  Just long enough to mix it thru at that temp before putting in insulated jar.

If you don't have a thermometer to test the temp then let the temp drop until the green 37 degrees light is out before adding starter and then set the machine for 3 minutes at 37 on speed 1.

Best to use full cream milk too.

Hope others may chime in.

[brazen20au]

we use the easiyo toppings but i've been wanting to try making my own in the tmx

[Amanda]

I have been thinking about making the yoghurt in the book, but have the same issues - the kids won't eat it without flavourings!
We use the Easiyo yoghurts and flavours too, they are fantastic.

[Thermomixer]

Is anyone able to give me some ideas, hints, tips (anything LOL) when it comes to flavouring yoghurt made in the TM?  My kids love yoghurt and we go through tubs of it (they will suffer natural yoghurt with some honey through it) Vanilla is probably the most popular, followed by honey and then fruit. I am just really unsure how to go about it....

Some bits from the historical files:

From "The Complete Book of Yogurt"  by Shaun Nelson-Henrick, 1980

How Yogurt Is Flavored
You probably have a style and flavor you particularly like—and know what to expect when you flip open a carton of your favorite yogurt. But, just to give you an overview, here are the five ways you can buy yogurt at your local supermarket or health food store.

No fruit but flavored. This means no "chunks" or "pieces" of fruit, just a pleasant-tasting yogurt with a vanilla, lemon, or coffee flavor. I particularly like Dannon's vanilla-flavored yogurt. It's deliciously smooth on the tongue, mild-tasting, lightly flavored, and only 200 calories (versus the higher-caloried sundae styles).
Fruit-on-the-bottom. Or, as it's often called, "sundae-style" yogurt. The beauty of this type, with the fruit preserves or purees on the bottom of the carton and a plain yogurt on top, is that you can control the amount of fruit (let's just say calories) you want to eat. If stirring or mixing this form of yogurt seems tedious to you, just turn the entire carton upside down into a shallow soup bowl. The yogurt will be on the bottom and the fruit will be on top. The whole thing looks, I think, much more festive and special than yogurt-in-the-carton.
Fruit-on-the-bottom, flavored on top. This is also called Western-style yogurt. With this variety you get preserves on the bottom and flavored yogurt on top. You can eat "as is" from the carton or stir up the contents—whichever you prefer.
Fruit blended throughout. This is also referred to as blended, Swiss- or French-style yogurt. Here the work is done for you. Bits or pieces of fruit are blended throughout plain or flavored yogurt. There is one aspect of a premixed yogurt of which I feel you should be aware: all Swiss-style yogurts have either one or more additives to keep the fruit evenly distributed in the carton.
No fruit, no flavorings. The yogurt for purists, and for those who want to do it themselves. In short, you eat as-is or add your own fruits and flavorings. This version, also known as unflavored, natural, plain, or basic-style yogurt, has been around for hundreds of years and is how the ancients ate their yogurt. It's not a favorite of mine, but many yogurt eaters love it this way.

Then from later -
Toppings Cinnamon; Nutmeg; Brown sugar; Toasted coconut; Chopped walnuts; Sesame seeds; Granola; Wheat germ; Grated orange rind; Maple syrup; Honey
Flavorings
Dannon suggests flavoring one cup of plain yogurt with:
A dash of lemon juice and a teaspoon of sugar 1 teaspoon of chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon of liqueur (Curasao, creme de menthe, or creme de cacao)

Fruits
Fresh, whole: Raspberries; Strawberries; Blueberries
Fresh, sliced: Apricots; Peaches; Bananas; Pineapple; Pears


From "Recipes for a Small Planet" by Ellen Buchman Ewald

honey
honey and carob powder
molasses
honey and cinnamon
rhubarb marmalade
any fruit preserves or conserves or jams
apple butter
(home) canned apricots or other fruits
chopped fresh bananas and strawberries
any fresh fruits or berries
frozen unsweetened fruits or berries
soaked dried fruits
cocoa and honey
chopped nuts or toasted seeds
toasted coconut

So more ideas - but basically - make the yoghurt and then when set and cooled mix and match.  With the TMX it should be very easy to make purees etc to blend thru.

Don't forget that you can strain your yoghurt overnight too in a cloth to make yoghurt cheese or just to get thicker yoghurt for mixing.

[Thermomixer]

i have no idea, but i have tried making yoghurt in the TM with no luck...i followed the recipe in the book but it just didnt work.  The book recipe says cook for 10mins at 90, but my demonstrator said 30mins at 90, neither option worked!!

Again, looked back and found that yes, 10 minutes should be enough then let it cool to 37 degrees 

From The Complete Book of Yogurt ideas on what went wrong with yogurt-making

WHEN THE MILK HASN'T THICKENED

• The incubation was made at a temperature that was too low.
• The jars containing the milk and culture were left standing in a cool place. Result: too rapid cooling and loss of heat that's needed to incubate yogurt.
• The culture was not put into the milk. (Yes, it happens.)
• The incubation time may have been too short.
• The starter culture was ruined because it was added to hot milk. The milk should have cooled to lukewarm.
• The starter was not mixed well enough with the milk.
• The thermometer used was not functioning properly.
• The soap or cleaning compound used in washing the jars and pots was not completely rinsed off. This can keep the culture from thickening the milk properly.
• Starter was old. Get fresh yogurt or powdered culture. (If you use a commercial yogurt it must be fresh, plain yogurt with an active culture.)

WHEN YOUR YOGURT Is WATERY (WHEYED OFF)

• The incubation temperature was too high.
• The incubation period was too long.
• Too much starter was used.

WHEN YOUR YOGURT IS NOT FIRM ENOUGH OR IS LUMPY

• The incubation temperature was too low.
• The yogurt was not incubated long enough (particularly if old yogurt culture was used).
• Not enough starter was used to culture the milk. Two tablespoons for one quart of milk are sufficient if the starter is fairly fresh. Use more if starter is older than four days.
• The milk was not heated to boil or near-boil.
• The yogurt was disturbed by shaking, tilting, or rattling during incubation.

Hope that helps

To make thicker yoghurt add some extra milk powder

[cookie1]

Well........I tried the yoghurt yesterday. I used low fat milk which perhaps wasn't the best idea but that's all we use. The flavour of the yoghurt was lovely but it was fairly thin. I think I will try again with a few modifications to see how I go. Perhaps the milk was still a little hot, although I thought it was cool enough. Will keep you updated! It was a lovely natural yoghurt drink.

[Thermomixer]

If you have got a thermometer it is best to check the milk temp before adding starter.  Unfortunately it is much easier to make full cream rather than skim milk yoghurt.  But sometimes the cultured buttermilk that you end up with can still be used for lots of dishes.
Keep trying.

[CarolineW]

I don't see why you should need to cook it for that long.  

Just thought I'd answer this one as discussed on another forum regarding making yogurt and also on canning(nothing to do with a thermomix).  Apparently some of the bacteria can survive 100 degrees for several minutes, so 10 is the minimum to be sure of having killed them.

[CarolineW]

It did actually occur to me after I'd posted about killing the bacteria, and that's why it's 10 minutes, that everything we're using is pasteurised anyway, so presumably that isn't an issue?  I mean, that will be why it states 10 minutes, but surely it isn't necessary unless you're using your own home-grown milk?

The UK TM yogurt recipe is very different to the Oz one.  Here it is:

1 litre longlife milk
2 Tbsp powdered milk
2 tbsp live yogurt

Put milk and powdered milk into TM bowl and heat 4 minutes / 50 degrees C / Speed 2
Add the live yogurt and mix 3 seconds / speed 8
pour into a thermos flask to keep warm for 8 hours OR leave in the TM bowl on the machine for 8 hours.
Store in the fridge.  Remember to save 2 Tbsp for the next batch.

I've had a try at this, and failed.  I think one (or more) of 3 things may have happened:  1)  left it for too long - it incubated for longer than 8 hours 2) the culture wasn't properly live (a mass produced supermarket organic one, which used the word live, but may have meant something different!) 3) It was disturbed (by husband picking up and asking what it was!) during incubation period, which it hates.

I'll be giving it another go, and let you know what happens.

[brazen20au]

don't tell anyone i said this but you guys need an easiyo LOL

[Tenina]

I fixed the yogurt recipe! It was so great! I can't remember the exact stuff right here and now, but I will be posting it on the TM blog...or here, when I get to work! (Remind me if it doesn't show up!! I have the mind of a 2 year old at present!)

[CarolineW]

I fixed the yogurt recipe! It was so great! I can't remember the exact stuff right here and now, but I will be posting it on the TM blog...or here, when I get to work! (Remind me if it doesn't show up!! I have the mind of a 2 year old at present!)

Looking forward to you posting the yogurt recipe, Tenina.  Great to hear that you've fixed it.