Make Your Own Yogurt

How To Make Yogurt

Using our Bulgarian yogurt starter culture, you can prepare your own yogurt without the help of a yogurt maker. All you need is a pack of the specially frozen and dried Bulgarian yogurt culture and milk. Everything else you already have at home. For best results, we recommend using whole milk, although you can use low-fat or skim if desired.

All New Zealand Milk will produce wonderful Bulgarian yogurt.  We suggest  the standard Full Cream, purple top, however the reduced milks will also make great flavoured Bulgarian Yogurt.

1. Bring the milk to a gentle boil. The milk should boil in order to kill any existing bacteria in it, which could react with the Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. Milk boils at about 100°C. Be careful not to burn it, otherwise your yogurt will inherit the burnt taste.
2. Cool the milk down to 43°C. The easiest way to test for the right temperature is to dip your pinky finger in the milk - if you can comfortably count to 5 then the milk is just right.
3. Move the milk to a separate processing container. You can use multiple smaller containers too.
4. This YOGURT packet is extremely intense, Just one teaspoon is enough o produce 1.5 Ltrs of yogurt. ! Should you wish to use more, this is OK.
5. Add the required amount to the milk. Mix well - stir well for about 5 minutes. If you used more than one container, distribute the contents evenly in respect to their volumes.
6. Cover the container loosely with a lid.
7. Wrap the container well in a blanket or cover with a tea cozy and let it sleep. Keep out of any draft.

The Firmentation process will continue until the milk reaches a pH of 4.7 The fresh yogurt will be set in about 5-6 hours (or overnight) If the place is too cold (10C or less), the process may take longer ( 10- 12 hours). In general, leaving the yogurt sit for longer after it is set will result in a denser and more acidic yogurt. When your yogurt is ready, move it to the fridge (or a cool place) for storage.

CULTURE STORAGE

IMPORTANT: When opened, keep the packet in a sealable cliptop container to avoid contamination.

Store for short periods in the refrigerator.

More than a week, keep in the freezer. The culture will withstand freezing then thawing.

 

Ayran

Refreshing Yogurt Drink

Ingredients

4 Cups of Yogurt

2 cups of Water

Salt

Preparation

Mix, cool, drink, ahhhhh - refreshing.

About Ayran

Bulgarian: айран / айрян Ayran or airan is a yogurt drink, very popular in Bulgaria and many other countries in the Balkan region and further east. In general, it is a mixture of yogurt, water and salt. It may have originated as a way of preserving yogurt by adding salt. If you want to add some twist to it, you can try it with some finely chopped mint leaves mixed into the ayran.