How to make yogurt at home recipes. Step-by-step recipe for homemade yogurt

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The growing popularity of homemade fermented milk treats makes any yogurt recipe a real find. Here are some popular recommendations and original recipes that will allow you to prepare this tasty and nutritious product.

The set of ingredients for homemade yogurt can be extensive and consist of many items. As additives to the main elements you can use:

fresh or frozen berries and chopped fruits, candied fruits;
cereals, bran, any nuts;
cocoa or melted chocolate bars;
coffee or honey;
condensed milk, various preserves, jams;
vanilla sugar and vanilla;
freshly squeezed juices, fruit purees, syrups.

But the basis is always the starter and the milk used for mixing with it. Both ingredients are widely available on the market, but the relative quality of the first can only be guaranteed by purchase at a pharmacy, or at least in a health food store. Popular versions of this ingredient are:

sour cream or kefir;
natural types of yogurt or cottage cheese;
probiotics Simbilakt, Vitalakt, Acidolakt;
starter cultures from Vivo Streptosan or Bifivit;
Acidophilus serum.

It is easier to purchase milk for mixing with starter culture at any available retail outlet. It is important that it is not a dairy drink, and it must be boiled before mixing.

In the process of searching for suitable elements, it is worth listening to some recommendations from experienced housewives, for example:

ladies who are worried about the calorie content of their menu should pay attention to this indicator in the initial components, on which the level of calories in the final result depends, but there is no need to worry too much, the delicacy is well absorbed and is not stored as fat;
when using live yogurt as a starter, it is advisable to take the most expensive one, which contains no additives, with a minimum shelf life, which allows you to hope for a minimum of dyes and flavors in the composition;
for home recipes, sourdoughs under the brands Evitalia or Activia are most often recommended; their use eliminates the appearance of foreign tastes and odors and ensures maximum benefits;
To make the mass thick and tender, the best option would be to choose homemade milk, fresh from the cow;
the pasteurized analogue from the store should be as fat as possible, this affects the thickness of the mixture, in this case boiling is not required, heating within 40°C is sufficient;
Many positive reviews can be heard about fermented analogues prepared at home by fermenting fresh milk.

To make such a starter, 130 grams of milk is enough. If the product is from a cow, it must be boiled, then cooled to body temperature, removing the foam from the surface. It is enough to heat the store-bought analogue to the same temperature. Add to the milk prepared in this way:

bottle of Bifidumbacterin;
up to three bags of Narine.

The components are thoroughly mixed, the finished mixture is left alone for 24 hours, ensuring a temperature of no more than 40°C. For this purpose, place the container with the mixture in any warm place, wrapped in a towel, or placed in a yogurt maker.

Classic recipe

Classic yogurt eliminates the addition of sugar and its analogues during the preparation process. Various sweeteners, for example, jam or fruit syrup, finely chopped fresh fruit are added later when the mass has cooled and is ready for use. You need to prepare such yogurt exclusively from two elements:

milk with a fat content of at least 3.5% from 750 ml to 1 liter;
packages of dry fermenting substance or jars of Activia.

In a step-by-step version, the cooking process is as follows:

The first step should be preparing the milk. If a fresh product is selected, it will need to be brought to a boil and immediately cooled under ice water. It is important that the temperature does not exceed 40°C. It’s easy to check, put your finger in the container with the drink, if you don’t feel any heat, it means everything has cooled down to body temperature and is ready for use. If available, you can use a cooking thermometer, which will be more reliable.
Containers and lids for them must be boiled. If you have a dishwasher, washing at high temperatures will suffice. After drying, the jars will need to be closed with sterile lids and left until the ingredients are mixed.
The prepared Activia should be transferred to a small cup of approximately 50 ml. Add the same amount of milk and mix thoroughly. This will make the mixture more homogeneous. If you mix the entire volume of components at once, it will be more difficult to achieve good homogeneity. Pour the prepared mixture into a container with milk and mix thoroughly again.
If you are using a fermenting substance, add a teaspoon of milk to the bottle with it and shake well. The dry analogue is poured into Art. spoon of dairy product and beat with a whisk or blender until completely dissolved. Then the fermenting composition is poured into the rest of the milk and stirred again.
The prepared mass is poured into jars from the yogurt maker kit. To be on the safe side, you can pour boiling water over them again. The containers are closed with scalded lids.
The jars are placed in the tray of the device and covered with a lid. At a temperature of 38 to 40°C, the cooking time will be from 6 to 8 hours. We set the required hours on the timer and set the alarm for insurance. When using Activia or Evitalia, the cooking time will be shorter. In any case, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with it first.
When the timer turns off and the alarm goes off, the jars need to be moved to a cold place and kept there for 4 to 6 hours. This will make the final product denser.

You can serve it pure or with natural additives from fruits, freshly squeezed juices, and other additional ingredients.

A treat for the little ones

Homemade fermented milk products are often recommended for children from an early age, usually from ten months. This will minimize your baby’s consumption of harmful food additives, which are still present in commercial baby food, albeit in small doses. For mothers familiar with the classic method, preparing fermented milk treats for babies will not be difficult. However, in this case you will need to take into account several important nuances:

It is undesirable to use store-bought types of starter; it is better to prepare it yourself;
there is no need to add sugar or honey, which has strong allergenic properties;
a sweet taste can be created with natural additives from applesauce or its analogue made from other fruits;
Do not forget that a fermented milk product prepared in this way is stored for a maximum of 3 days, and with the addition of fruit for up to 12 hours, so it is recommended to consume it immediately after preparation and carefully calculate the required volume in advance.

In this case, there is no need to describe the detailed cooking method; the procedure differs little from the classic version, taking into account the listed features. The milk component is brought to the desired temperature, mixed with the starter, then mixed with one of the types of purees. Cooking time is at least 5 hours.

List of original recipes

Yogurt with Activia

In this case, instead of the standard fermenting component, drinking Activia from Danone is offered in the amount of 5 tbsp. spoons The only condition is to make sure that this ingredient is extremely fresh. You can add nuts or bran of any kind to the two main components. The cooking process is identical to that described above:

Boil and cool the homemade dairy ingredient, bring the store-bought ingredient to the desired temperature;
pour a small amount of it into a bowl with Activia and stir until smooth;
then mix the mixture with the remaining milk;
if additional components are used, place a small amount of them on the bottom of each jar;
put the mixture into containers and place them in the tray of the device;
Set the timer for 6 to 8 hours.

The longer the time, the thicker the consistency will be at the end. But you need to be careful, overdoing it over time can result in excessive acidity and loss of taste. After the device has finished operating, we move all the containers into the refrigerator and keep them there for up to 4 hours.

Fermented milk dessert with jam

This recipe is almost similar to the previous one; Activia is also recommended as a fermenting agent. But an additional element in the composition is jam, which can be supplemented with nuts. Contains:

fatty dairy product from 3.5 to 6%;
Danone up to 5 tbsp. spoon;
any type of jam Art. a spoon for each jar;
nuts chosen to taste.

We prepare according to the well-known scheme:

boil the milk base;
pre-mix a small amount of it with Activia;
mix the components completely;
Place a spoonful of jam on the bottom of all containers and add nuts as desired;
We rearrange it into a tray and set the timer for 4 – 8 hours.

After cooking, allow time to cool in any cold place. It is advisable to mix the complex composition before use.

Greek yogurt with vegetables

This type of fermented milk treat is important element of the popular Greek appetizer sauce Dzatziki. You can use it to make a topping for a cake or use it for the same purpose with ice cream. True, the latter is not an acquired taste. Naturally, it is useful in itself. The recipe contains:

liter of medium fat milk component;
sourdough from Evitalia.

Below is a step-by-step recipe for preparing this Greek delicacy.

We first mix the latter with a small amount of the first ingredient so that the mixture comes out homogeneous. Then finally mix with the rest of the composition.
We put them in jars and place them in the container of the device for a certain time. If there is no special apparatus, you can get by with an ordinary stainless steel pan, which we wrap in a towel and keep overnight to thicken.
To finish cooking, wrap the mixture in several layers of gauze and keep for up to 4 hours. The output should be up to 500 g. tender and thick mass.
Then it can be used as a cream on the cake or served on its own, mixed with finely chopped banana or covered with chocolate shavings.

After familiarizing yourself with the rules for choosing products and instructions for preparing homemade yogurt, it will not be difficult for you to pamper your family and guests with a healthy dessert. Original recipes for fermented milk delicacy will appeal not only to children, but also to adults. And if the treat starts to taste ordinary, you can always diversify it with a variety of delicious toppings.

Ehrmann is proud of its rich and ancient traditions; the company was founded back in 1920 in southern Germany by Mr. Alois Ehrmann. At first, all production was carried out on one small family dairy farm, but thanks to the persistence and enterprise of its owner, after 5 years a second farm was opened, and then in 1929, in the Bavarian town of Oberschönegg, the construction of the first plant of the Ehrmann company followed. Production developed dynamically, the business grew and reached a national scale, and in 1987 the company entered the European market.

It is worth noting that in the 60s, “Ehrmann” was the first in Germany to make yoghurts with pieces of fruit. These delicacies then created a real sensation among the Germans. In those days, no one had ever done anything like this!

The next step in development was the acquisition of a dairy plant in Saxony in 1992. Now it is the most advanced yoghurt production plant in Germany. From here, Ehrmann began to export their products to Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space. By 1997, the export turnover to Russia reached 100 million marks, this led to the fact that in 1998, construction of a new plant began on the territory of the Russian Federation in a picturesque place in the Romensky district, and a year and a half later the first batches of manufactured products went on sale. The company easily became one of the top three leaders in domestic yogurt production, and moreover, strengthened its position in the neighboring markets of Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. To date, the Russian plant “Ehrmann” exports products to 13 countries, and includes 7 brands: “Ermigurt”, “Ermik Extra”, “Prebiotic”, “Uslada”, “Smetanovna”, “Ermi mix”, “Ermigurt Fresh” "
Let's take a look at this plant.

The production of any dairy products begins with the most ordinary, but high-quality milk. Milk is supplied to the plant by various dairy farms. Today, Ehrmann's raw material base is represented by agricultural land from the Moscow, Vladimir, Ryazan and Smolensk regions. The Moscow region accounts for about 55% of the daily intake of raw milk. The Vladimir and Ryazan regions supply about 20%, and the Smolensk region provides close to 5%. Milk is brought both from large enterprises with large volumes of supplies up to 17,000 tons of milk per year, and from suppliers with relatively small volumes that do not exceed 500 tons of raw milk per year.
The milk carrier you see in the photo brings about 20 tons of raw materials. Its “barrel” is made of stainless steel like a thermos - the milk does not heat up in hot weather and does not freeze in cold weather.

During the day, this transport makes one or two trips, depending on the route. Every day, 10-12 of these milk tankers are unloaded at the plant; on average, they bring 215 tons of raw materials. Each milk tanker is computerized. Milk storage and accounting is carried out by an on-board system.

In the production laboratory, a rapid analysis of the delivered milk is carried out; if it meets all the requirements, then a command is given to accept the milk. Erman only accepts premium and first grade milk.

The laboratory consists of two parts: physical-chemical and microbiological departments. They conduct research on raw materials (milk, ingredients, semi-finished and finished products) for compliance with quality and safety indicators. The chemical department analyzes physical and chemical indicators, and the microbiological department, respectively, analyzes microbiological indicators.

Checking the density of the delivered milk.

After consumption, the milk is stored in these huge tanks; they are made of stainless steel, which does not oxidize and does not affect the product. Before the milk reaches these containers, it is cooled and filtered. Throughout the entire process, interaction of milk with the environment is eliminated.

Those who find themselves at a dairy plant for the first time may get the impression that they are in a medical clinic. To get there, you must wear a special uniform, which consists of a robe, a cap and special shoes, remove jewelry, watches, and disinfect your hands. Sterility comes first. Otherwise, you won’t get the right yogurt.

I had been to other food production plants before, but this was my first time in the yogurt production. What I saw pleasantly surprised me: the entire dairy plant is an intricacy of pipes, sensors and wires, and more pipes. What was especially surprising was the preparation of yogurt itself, or rather the entire process, starting from the intake of milk up to the release of the finished product, namely, that this entire process takes place in a closed cycle, which means that the contact of the product at any stage of production with the external environment and people completely excluded. And one can only imagine how ripening occurs or how fruit and berry filler is added.
Such strict measures are reflected in the shelf life of yogurt. A short shelf life of 7-18 days is not always a sign of the freshness and naturalness of the product; it may also indicate insufficient levels of sanitation and production equipment.

Separator. At this stage, the milk is separated into skim milk and cream. The interesting thing is that then these two components are mixed again, but in a strictly predetermined proportion.

In this sterile, tightly closed container, the milk is heated to a temperature of 80°C for several minutes in order to destroy all harmful bacteria. And here the milk is cooled. This is called pasteurization. Then the starter is added.

Well, now we come to the most important thing. At this stage, the milk is fermented and turned into yoghurt by mixing the milk with live yoghurt bacteria, which are supplied in sealed jars. These bacteria are activated at a temperature of 20°C, in a completely sterile environment, and ferment the milk, turning it into yogurt.

The next stage is homogenization, this is normalization by fat, its task is to prevent the cream from settling during ripening and to evenly distribute the fat in the milk. Sounds pretty abstruse, doesn't it.

The entire production process is controlled from the operator’s office, where the status of each stage of yoghurt production is monitored from start to finish. On average, a shift consists of 30 people.

Adding fruit and berry filling. Fruit and berry filling is supplied in these unusual barrels. This share of the total mass of yogurt is about 10-15%. This is essentially the same jam, only very concentrated, so you won’t be able to eat it with a spoon “from the jar”.

Only natural berries and fruits are added to yogurt, and where the product recipe provides for this, fruit purees or juices are added. But before they get into yogurt, fruits undergo pasteurization, this allows them to be stored longer and not spoil.

The next step is cooling and once again heat treatment, which actually completes the preparation of yogurt before packaging, is carried out at a temperature of 60-80°C.

The bottling line was a real discovery for me. This huge purple reel in the foreground is nothing more than raw material for plastic cups. Before the tape enters the unit, it undergoes disinfection, and after that, cups are stamped from it using a hot press, into which fresh yogurt is immediately poured.

At the same time, foil is fed into the machine, from which the lids for the cups are formed. Sealing takes place in two stages, in the first the foil is slightly stuck, and in the second it is completely sealed.

Then the cups are cut into the usual squares, four pieces each. I heard an interesting suggestion from the employees as to why there are 4 yoghurts in a package. It’s interesting that they believe that the average family consists of 4 people (2 children and 2 parents), so this is why there is a family package.

Next, the yoghurts are packaged and sorted. After bottling, they are sent along a conveyor belt that cleverly passes through the workshop, and go to packaging. The sight of the shimmer of thousands of moving cups of yogurt was mesmerizing.

Many specialists from Germany are constantly present at the plant, carrying out technical control of the equipment and process.

Germans have been living and working in Russia for a long time. Many already have families here, and some still fly to visit their families for Christmas.

Next we go to the warehouse where the yogurt is matured. The entire range of finished products is taken into account and entered into the database. Samples are constantly taken to check and control the quality of the product. The yogurt will remain in the warehouse for three days - this is a forced quarantine to conduct the necessary microbiological studies of samples from the batch.

In total, 11 lines operate in parallel at the enterprise. In addition to drinking yoghurt, it produces curds, confectionery creams and milk mixtures.

For example, if it is yogurt in cups, then they are made directly on the line from a reject tape. But if it’s yogurt in a bottle, then the bottles already come to the line ready-made.

They are simply thrown into a tank from which they emerge in an orderly manner.

Next they go to bottling. Filling the bottles, as it turns out, occurs in two stages: first, half is filled, and then topped up accordingly. This was done in order to speed up the work of the conveyor and so that the bottles do not remain in one place for a long time.

Once filled, the inside is filled with nitrogen, which displaces the air, after which the bottles are sealed with foil.

Here, at the exit, 10 bottles are removed from the belt every 30 minutes and their control weighing is carried out.

Next, a label is put on the bottle, which shrinks under the influence of temperature exactly repeating the shape of the bottle.

Before sending the products to the warehouse, several samples are taken from each batch to the laboratory for control testing.

There they taste it.

Research continues throughout the entire production cycle - starting from the receipt of raw milk and ending with the output of the finished product, and in addition, an analysis of the state of the finished product during the storage cycle is carried out (at different durations and different temperature conditions - for complete confidence in the stable quality of the product throughout the whole its shelf life).
In this white laboratory, the reddish centrifuge looks like an alien device.

But it performs a very important task - it analyzes the fat content in milk and dairy products.

In the finished product warehouse, the temperature is always +4°C both in winter and summer. It's very cool to be there in summer clothes.
And finally - loading of finished and packaged products.

In our understanding, yogurt is a dessert, a delicious fermented milk treat, which, however, has recently ceased to be available to all categories of consumers. At the same time, for example, Greeks or Bulgarians use yogurt as a dressing for salads, cold soups and other dishes, since this product is like a base: you can add fruit and make a dessert, and if left in its original form, it will serve the role of sour cream.

Traditional yogurt: what it is and how it is prepared

Yogurt is the result of fermentation (fermentation) of milk with lactic acid bacteria, as a result of which the product gets its thickness, color and characteristic taste. Even doctors often recommend it to those people who have certain problems with the stomach or intestines, since yogurt stabilizes their microflora, improves the metabolic process, and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, it is well absorbed and digested by the body, so even people with allergies or lactose intolerance, who are contraindicated in consuming milk and dairy products, can in some cases consume yogurt. But first, you still need to consult a doctor about this.

Natural yogurt should not contain any additives in the form of preservatives, sweeteners, dyes, flavors or stabilizers - only in this case can it truly have a beneficial effect on the body. In addition, it can be stored for about a month, but no more, since over time the number of vitamins and live bacteria decreases, and the effectiveness of the product is reduced to a minimum.

To produce factory-made yogurt, live fermented milk cultures - bacteria (streptococcus thermophilus and Bulgarian bacillus) - are introduced into the milk, after which fermentation begins. For this, the required temperature is provided - within 45 degrees and about 10 hours of exposure. After this time, the resulting yogurt is cooled to 5 degrees, and in this way it is possible to preserve bacteria and, accordingly, obtain a product of the best quality.

The process is easy to repeat on your own, at home, both with and without a yogurt maker. This yogurt is healthier because it does not contain sugar, and is allowed even for people who are forced to give up sweets due to diabetes. Homemade fermented milk product contains a much smaller amount of fat, so salads and dishes seasoned with it will not cause any harm to the figure - on the contrary, yogurt tends to accelerate metabolism, so the process of getting rid of extra pounds can go faster and without any harm for the body. In addition, homemade yogurt contains more fermented milk cultures, and its usefulness significantly prevails over the properties of store-bought ones. The latter, in turn, contains a lot of preservatives, which allow the product to be stored for months without compromising its taste, but at the same time with a complete loss of health-promoting properties.

Sourdough and milk for yogurt

One of the most important and responsible stages in making yogurt is the search and selection of starter culture. In itself, this is a substance that causes fermentation. So, the starter for bread is yeast, and for yogurt it is a fermented milk culture that contains all the necessary lactobacilli. This starter can also be consumed in its pure form, on its own; it is also very beneficial for the body: it helps strengthen the immune system, creates protection against viruses, especially with the onset of bad weather, improves the gastrointestinal tract, speeds up metabolism and helps normalize body weight.

There are several types of yogurt starters:

Live acidophilus cultures - they stop the inflammatory process, remove toxins, help cleanse the body, relieve side effects from taking antibiotics, and normalize disorders after eating food.
Live curd cultures are based on bifidobacterium bacteria, which are invariably found in the human body, support intestinal microflora, break down proteins, normalize cholesterol, and have immunoprotective properties.
Live yoghurt bacteria - such starters are dosed and completely ready for home use.

The necessary starter is sold in pharmacies; as a rule, a jar means obtaining several liters of the finished product. You should not buy store-bought yogurt to use as a starter, since it inevitably contains pathogenic microbes (most often E. coli). In this form, they pose a minimal risk to the body, but when fermented they can multiply, and then disorders, infections and food poisoning are possible.

Next you need to choose milk. The volume of the resulting yogurt depends on its quantity; It is recommended to use from 1 to 3 liters at a time. The ideal option is a pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized product that is not subject to long-term storage. Even better is homemade milk, fresh, quality and reliability that inspires you to trust. It needs to be boiled for a few minutes before preparing the yogurt. Pasteurized should be heated to 90 degrees, do not bring to a boil; ultra-pasteurized can be used immediately, without preparatory measures.

You should not prepare yogurt using sterilized milk, since it undergoes harsh processing, all vitamins and beneficial lactobacilli disappear, and their properties are lost. Plus, during sterilization, salt and stabilizers are added to the milk, which will subsequently affect the quality of the prepared yogurt.

Preparatory activities

Preparing the dishes
First of all, you should take care of the cleanliness of the container in which you will prepare yogurt. Even spoons that will come into contact with the starter must be subject to the strictest measures, since a change in its microflora can lead, at a minimum, to loss of taste of the resulting product, and at maximum to the proliferation of pathogenic microbes and poisoning due to the consumption of low-quality yogurt.

So, the dishes must be thoroughly washed and scalded with boiling water, as well as the jars where the yogurt will be poured, and plastic lids to close them. And at the end of the scalding process, immediately cover/close the jars. In addition to this, you cannot use aluminum instruments, and the thermometer must be wiped with alcohol, and under no circumstances douse it with hot water. During the process of preparing yogurt, it is strictly forbidden to touch the inner surface of the jars and lids with your hands or utensils; the latter should also not be placed on the countertop, even if turned upside down, since air may remain on the walls, with its microflora “enemy” for the future yogurt .

Preparing milk
You need to open the package immediately before starting cooking, otherwise you will end up with sour milk rather than yogurt. Pour it into a clean stainless pan and heat it up (how to deal with different types of milk is described above). Do not use enamel dishes - the product will quickly burn in them. If you boiled milk, then you should cool it to 38-45 degrees (in the case of ultra-pasteurized milk, immediately heat it to this temperature). If you don’t have a thermometer, try to determine “by eye” - firstly, through the glass lid that covers the pan, you should feel tolerable heat; secondly, drop a couple of drops of milk on the inside of your wrist, as the most sensitive area of the skin, it should be hot, but not burn the skin. Both overheating and underheating are bad for yogurt in their own way; but the latter option is still more acceptable, since in this case the product will only be not very thick (although this still depends on the milk - choose the thicker, the richer in consistency you want the yogurt). If overheated, if you add starter to milk that is too hot - at a temperature of 50 degrees - the bacteria that promote ripening will begin to die, and then all efforts will be in vain.

Leaven
Each starter comes with instructions with a recipe, which indicates how much of it should be used for each liter of milk - focus on it. The most important thing is to thoroughly mix the starter with warm milk. To dissolve it, pour about 10 ml of milk (depending on the amount of starter and milk in general) from the pan into the bottle, shake several times to stir, and pour the resulting mass into the pan with the remaining milk.

It is believed that prepared homemade yogurt (if, of course, it is prepared correctly - not stringy or slippery) can be used as a starter in the future. So, it can be re-fermented several times, but you should still remember that at home we cannot ensure complete sterility when storing the product, and it is better to prepare yogurt using a starter purchased at the pharmacy. Especially if it is included in the children's diet. In addition, such manipulations can affect the taste and properties of the product.

Making your own yogurt

In the yogurt maker. Not every home has a yogurt maker, but if your plans for the future include this fermented milk product prepared at home, then it is highly recommended to purchase it. What's good about a yogurt maker? It maintains the required temperature throughout the entire fermentation period (meanwhile, the milk should remain warm from 6 to 12 hours, without any significant changes, which is difficult to control on your own). If you have a yogurt maker, you only need to mix the milk with the starter, pour it into the special jars that come with it, and turn on the device. After about 10 hours, you can already take a sample.

Without yogurt maker
This is more difficult. There are several ways to maintain milk temperature:

Use a thermos for fermentation, which retains heat well.
Wrap the dishes in a blanket or cover them with a pillow and place them near a hot radiator.
Pour the future yogurt into jars, cover with cling film, fill any flat container with warm water, place the jars there and wrap with film again; after that, place it in a warm place - for example, in a preheated oven that is turned off.

If you want the consistency of the yogurt to be thicker and denser, put it in the refrigerator for several hours. In addition, this will extend its shelf life and increase its benefits by preserving living cultures.

Video: how to make delicious homemade yogurt

Yogurt is a delicious fermented milk product.

It is obtained 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 intestinal function.

How to make yogurt at home: is it possible?

Today you can find a huge assortment of different yoghurts on store shelves, but finding a truly healthy and safe product is quite difficult. However, yoghurts can be made at home, and it is not at all difficult as it may seem. But the advantages of homemade yogurt in comparison with sold goods are obvious:

1. Yogurt prepared at home 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; to do this, just use milk of different fat content.

3. Homemade yogurt is an opportunity to show your imagination. By experimentation you can achieve different densities. In addition, you can make many different variations from classic yogurt, resulting in a lot of unique and interesting desserts. Fillings such as fresh berries, fresh and canned fruits, dried fruits, muesli, cereal, chocolate or coconut shavings are used.

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

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

6. It is noteworthy that to make yogurt you do not need to have a yogurt maker; the product can be prepared using improvised means, such as a saucepan, a slow cooker, a jar, a thermos and others.

How to make yogurt at home: what you need for it

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

Milk. Ideally, it is best to purchase fresh village milk; you can also purchase 10% cream. To prepare low-calorie yogurt, it is enough to take milk with 3.5-5% fat content. The main thing is that the original product is pasteurized, not sterilized, and does not have long-term storage. It is also acceptable to use baked milk; the taste of the finished yogurt will be tender and caramel-like.

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

Leaven. Also, to prepare a delicious dessert you will need sourdough. You can use ready-made starter or “live” natural yogurt with a short shelf life.

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

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

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

Liquid starters, unlike dry ones, are not as popular, as they have some disadvantages. Firstly, their shelf life is not that long, only 3 months, but it was found that already at the end of the first month, many living bacteria simply die. Secondly, the taste of the finished product is not so delicious. Typically, yogurt prepared with liquid starter is slightly sour and has a not very pleasant viscous consistency.

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

Therefore, if you want to get a truly healthy product, use a special dry starter from any company to prepare it, especially since it is not difficult to purchase.

How to make yogurt at home: preparation technology

As we have already found out above, you can prepare not only natural yoghurts, but also with additives, but the cooking technology in any case begins with the classics, and you can add any favorite fillers and additives to the finished product.

1. Recipe for homemade yogurt made in a yogurt maker

Of course, having a yogurt maker makes the process of preparing a healthy product easier. 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 and leave for 10 hours.

2. How to make yogurt at home in a thermos

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

The cooking technology is no different from the previous recipe; you need to pour in milk cooled to 45 degrees, add the starter, and mix. Place in an inaccessible place and leave for 6-8 hours without disturbing the product - the thermos should not be moved, shaken, the yogurt should not be stirred. The finished yogurt is poured into a sterile container and placed in the refrigerator.

3. How to make homemade yogurt in a saucepan

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

4. Alternative cooking options

In addition, you can cook the product in a slow cooker. The technology is similar. Many modern multicookers have a built-in “Yogurt” mode, but if there is none, then you can use the “Warming” function.

You can also use the oven to prepare the dessert; in this case, the oven is heated to 40 degrees, and 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 does not work out. Why does this happen and what could be the reason for the failure?

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

In addition, the product cannot be prepared in aluminum or 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 them not during cooking, but to the finished product. Bacteria need only a milky environment to function normally. Sugar, fruits and other fillers will lead to the development of unnecessary yeast and putrefactive bacteria, which will spoil the product even at the cooking stage.

Also, you should not add starch or powdered milk to thicken it; this is the job of regular milk. The thickness and calorie content of the finished product depends on the fat content of the original product.

It is best to immediately put the finished product in a cold place so that the process of fermentation and bacterial growth stops, otherwise the finished yogurt will turn out sour.

It happens that yogurt does not ferment. The cause may be hot milk or poor quality starter. The milk temperature should be 45 degrees, no more.

By the way, if the milk is too cold, the yogurt will turn out too thin or stringy.

How is yogurt served?

Yogurt goes perfectly 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 and freshly squeezed juice to yogurt.

For breakfast, you can serve yogurt with oatmeal and honey or muesli. Yogurt can be used to dress salads, and you can use it to make ice cream and various desserts.

As you can see, making yogurt at home is easy, the main thing is to choose the right products and containers used for cooking. Don't forget that desserts prepared at home are always healthier and tastier than store-bought ones. Cook with pleasure.

Yogurt is a fermented milk product and has many beneficial properties known throughout the world. Bacteria are present in various starter cultures. The product can quench both hunger and thirst. It restores strength and energy. Yogurt contains a sufficient amount of amino acids, vitamins and minerals: magnesium, zinc, potassium. This set of useful substances makes it an indispensable food product for adults and children. To enjoy yogurt, you don’t have to run to the nearest store, because you can make it at home.

What is known about yogurt?

As a result of the oxidation of milk by special bacteria, yogurt is formed. It contains a lot of useful substances that have a beneficial effect on our body. What is the benefit of the product?

digestion improves. For normal digestion of foods, proper functioning of the digestive system is necessary. The bacteria contained in yogurt maintain the necessary acidity and relieve constipation and diarrhea. People who are intolerant to 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 cancer is reduced;
the immunity of the whole body improves due to the synthesis of interferon gamma;
the combination of yogurt with salt-free nutrition heals sore joints;
skin, hair and nails become 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 prepare it yourself.

All kinds of

In addition to the usual, there is bio-yogurt. It contains live bacteria called probiotics. For example, acidophilus bacillus and bifidobacteria.

Yogurts are classified according to the type of milk used:

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

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

fruit or vegetable;
flavored. Instead of natural fruits, flavorings and flavoring additives are used.

Yoghurts differ in fat content:

low-fat milk Fat content no more than 0.1%;
low fat milk. 0.3–1%;
milk semi-fat. 1.2–2.5%;
milky classic. 2.7–4.5%;
milky and creamy. 4.7–7.5%;
creamy milk 7.5–9.5%;
creamy. Not less than 10%.

Other varieties:

What are the cooking features?

There are two cooking methods:

thermostatic. The components are immediately placed in the consumption container. Add starter. The process takes place and the finished product is obtained in the form of an undisturbed clot, as when milk is sour;
reservoir The components are first placed in a large container, and maturation takes place there. Then the finished yogurt is poured into smaller containers. The result is a broken clot.

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

Ingredient Selection

Buy sourdough starter at the pharmacy. Try not to use store-bought yogurt instead of this important ingredient, even if it does not have preservatives. A special microflora is formed in fermented milk products. And after fermentation, it turns into pathogenic.

For yogurt, pasteurized cow's milk with a short shelf life is suitable. It does not need to be boiled before fermentation. You just need to warm it up. Boil everything else. Don't buy milk from private owners. You don't know what kind of cow they have. And she may be sick or fed with vitamins. Pay attention to fat content. It varies between 0.5–6%. For children, choose milk with up to 3.2% fat content. 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 integrity of the packaging. The color of good milk is white. Lumps of fat may be present. It looks like it's gone sour. If there is a yellow tint, then the milk has been replaced with cow's milk. A bluish tint indicates dilution with water.

Recipes for cooking at home with or without a yogurt maker

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

How to make natural yogurt

Video: how to easily make yogurt without a yogurt maker

Drinking yogurt

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

Preparing the Greek version

First, follow the recipe for natural yogurt. At the last stage, fold the gauze in two layers and place the clot in it. After 2 hours, the whey will drain and you will get something between yogurt and pudding. To add thickness and increase fat content, add a glass of cream to the milk.

Greek yogurt is obtained by decanting the whey.

Homemade yogurt differs from store-bought yogurt in taste and health benefits. And in order to make this wonderful product, it is not at all necessary to have a yogurt maker on your household.

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