Tell me about the different yogurts please.

[Our7Wonders]

I'm looking at ordering some yogurt cultures. I've only ever used the yogormet brand powder starter, along with my yogurt maker. I prefer a thicker yogurt (spoonable rather than drinkable) and I don't like to use powdered milk, so thickening that way isn't an option for us.

I didn't realize until recently that there were different types of yogurt. I think I remember someone on here saying they make pretty thick yogurt - was that WZ? I'm looking online and have found a few different ones that sound interesting. A couple are Caspian Sea Yogurt (matsoni) and Greek Yogurt - also a Bulgarian yogurt. Do you know anything about any of these?

My last buckling sold yesterday - that's only one baby left I'm bottle feeding and one nursing baby. One doe gives us our daily milk and the other feeds her doe and supplies all the milk for the bottle babies. Once that bottle baby is weaned I'll have more milk than we can drink so it's time to start looking at culturing and fermenting again!

 

[Our7Wonders]

Another question

What about room temperature yogurt? On ebay there's a seller that has a whole slew of yogurt cultures (slew, what exactly is that? It's alot, right?!) Viili, Piima, Caspian Sea, Greek, Bolgarian and a couple others that I can't remember right now. But most of them are not heat treated - they're cultured on the counter like kefir. Ever had any of those? I like the idea of keeping my milk in a raw state - but the kids love thick fresh yogurt with fruit or a little stevia - they like kefir too, but I want something to eat from a bowl with other goodies in it.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I don't know anything about different cultures. I've been making mine lately from a starter culture of Dannon plain yogurt, and it makes great yogurt! It's much thicker than the stuff I made last year (which made me not make it anymore). I've been having it every morning for breakfast. I'll add things like strawberries, bananas, a little homemade peach jam, or some peach puree I froze last summer. I've been sweetening it a tad with honey, and as soon as I get maple syrup I'll try that. I've found that I really don't need that much sweetener. It's so good!

 

[Our7Wonders]

Are you making it with fresh goat milk?

 

[Wifezilla]

I make thick yogurt by using cream instead of milk OR draining the yogurt after it is done.

 

[TanksHill]

I used to use a plain Greek yogurt from the grocery. I think any that says "live culture" will work. I have a Donavier maker and after it sets for the 10 hours the yogurt is pretty thick. It will thin out a bit when you mix in jam or whatever.

but it starts out pretty good.

g

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Are you making it with fresh goat milk?

Yes, but I do heat it to 180*.

 

[Wannabefree]

so how would one make yogurt without a yogurt maker? I'm wondering if i am doing this wrong now...

 

[TanksHill]

You heat milk. Use some to temper the yogurt. Then mix all. I then pour into little cups.
Sorry if this is choppy I'm on my phone.

G

 

[Wannabefree]

You heat milk. Use some to temper the yogurt. Then mix all. I then pour into little cups.
Sorry if this is choppy I'm on my phone.

G

Well that's pretty nuch what I did. I heated to 115-118 degrees. I tossed in a heaping spoonful of greek yogurt to start it off and I have it in a crock wrapped in a towel.

I just wondered should I put it in a CrockPot to keep it warm? I'm not sure it is maintaining temp? Does it have to stay around 100 degrees for it to make? For the WHOLE 10 hours? So many questions...sorry