Barb Hodgens
Barb Hodgens

Barb Hodgens loves to cook with alternative, healthy whole food ingredients, with a focus on gut health. Barb has overcome her own gut health issues through healthy eating. Share your ideas, comments and photos at the end of this post :)

Yogourmet probiotic ygurt

FOR IMMUNE SYSTEM & GUT HEALTH.

The probiotic content of yogurt depends on a few factors – most importantly, the quality and quantity of the starter culture used. The Yogourmet ‘Probiotic’ starter (green packet) has five strains of probiotic bacteria in easy to use, single-serve sachets, so it's a very convenient way to make delicious, gut loving, probiotic yogurt in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Yogourmet 'Probiotic' starter contains three traditional yogurt culture strains; L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus, L. acidophilus (found in the Yogourmet 'Traditional' starter blend) plus two additional probiotic strains; Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium (Bifidus) longum. L. casei to strengthen immune health and B. longum to promote regularity. 

Yogourmet probiotic yogurt

The temperature and time your yogurt is left to ferment matters too, but fortunately we have that covered for you. The digital timer and unique ‘water-bath’ technology in the Luvele range of yogurt makers make these two considerations failsafe. Yogourmet recommends between 9 and 15 hours. The Luvele test kitchen has sampled homemade probiotic yogurt at 9 hours, 15 hours and even 24 hours and can't decide which we prefer. We recommend you experiment at home to find your preferred sweet spot. (or should we say, tart spot!). Nine hours produces a thick and smooth creamy (milkier) yogurt but leaving it longer increases the acidity and flavour. 

Yogourmet probiotic yogurt

If you’re unsure which milk to use when you make Yogourmet probiotic yogurt, click over to our guide to choosing the best milk for making yogurt. For more great yogurt making recipes, tips and trouble shooting advice visit our yogurt basics page.

Yogourmet probiotic yogurt

PREPARATION

Before you begin it is important to sterilise the Luvele yogurt making glass jar and any utensils you use, in boiling hot water. Do this by boiling a kettle and carefully pouring the hot water in the jar and over the equipment. The danger of not sterilising is that other bacteria may overpower your culture and affect the quality of your ferment. 

INGREDIENTS

2 litres of milk
Yogourmet Starter culture

METHOD

1.   Pour the milk into a large, clean saucepan.

2.   Heat and hold the milk at 82° C (180° F) 
Use a thermometer. Note, as you become more confident with heating milk to make yogurt you will be able to judge when the milk is nearing 82° C (180° F) because it will begin to swell and rise in the pot (just before it simmers). Hold the heat at this temperature for anywhere between 2 - 10 minutes. The longer the better. Holding the milk at this high temperature allows the milk proteins to denature which thickens the yogurt. Tip: It can be a challenge to hold the milk at a high temperature for so long. Don’t get too caught up on the precise temperature. If the milk accidentally simmers briefly, don’t panic – reduce the heat and continue. Use a wok ring (or something similar) to create a distance between the flame and pot or use a double boiler pot filled with boiling water. 

3.   Cover the milk & let cool to below  42° C (107° F)
It is fine if the milk cools down well below 42° or even goes cold, it just mustn't be too hot. Temperatures above 43° C will kill the starter culture. The perfect temperature range for making yogurt is between 36° C (97° F) and 42° C (107° F). Tip: You can actively cool it by filling a sink, or bowl with cold water and setting the pot of heated milk in the cold water. As the milk cools a layer of skin will form on the yogurt. There is no harm leaving it in, it does not produce lumpy yoghurt. 

Yogourmet probiotic yogurt

4.   Pour the milk into the yogurt making jar.

5.   Add the starter culture and gently whisk it in.
Tear open one 3 gram packet of Yogourmet 'Probiotic' yogurt starter culture and pour it into the milk while whisking so that the grains of culture are evenly dispersed. 

6.   Place the glass yogurt jar into your yogurt maker.  

7.   Pour water slowly into the base.
The water must not be filled over the ‘tall line’ indicated on the inside wall of the maker.

Yogourmet probiotic yogurt

8.   Place the cover lid on top.
The milk is now ready to begin fermentation.

9.   Set the time & temperature.
Use the digital control panel to set the temperature to 38° C (100° F), the time to between 9-24 hours and then press ‘confirm’ to begin incubation.

10.  When fermentation is complete.
Condensation will have collected under the cover lid. Please take care removing it and allow the water to drip into the water bath, instead of your bench!

11.  Switch the yogurt maker off and remove the yogurt jar.
Straight from the maker the yogurt will be runny and warm.  Depending on the milk you used, there may be a layer of yellow cream on top of the yogurt. 

12.  Place the jar in the fridge for at least 6 hours to chill and set.
Be gentle with the warm yogurt and don’t stir it or else it won’t set in a perfect white mass. 

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Yogourmet probiotic yogurt

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