Greek Yoghurt
This recipe is the result of trials of several different milks, milk powder and starters. We’ve successfully used a range of dairy milks and found that whole milk gives the most traditional flavour. The starter you use makes a very big difference to your finished yoghurt and our family favourite starter is the Cheeselinks Greek yoghurt culture. Using a dedicated culture helps to ensure consistency in both taste and texture from batch to batch and given the variables in yoghurt, consistency is key!
Traditionally, Greek yoghurt is made by straining plain yoghurt to remove whey. This recipe already results in a thick yoghurt due to the extended high heat applied to the milk. You can of course skip straining, or you can strain it all the way to being a labneh as well.
Using a culture and high heat for an extended time gives quite a thick yoghurt without the need for skim milk powder which my fussy taste buds can taste, so is not included in this recipe! Try your hand at making it as is, then read the notes to understand how to adjust to your taste for tanginess, thickness and creaminess. There is definitely some trial and error required to adjust for your personal preference and equipment – for example a lower incubation temperature will result in less tang in the same 9 hour period.
Greek Yoghurt
Traditional thick and creamy Greek style yoghurt
Equipment
- Digital Thermometer - Use a candy thermometer with a probe that can be attached to the pot. This will allow keep your hands free during cooking.
- Incubator - We use a dehydrator but you can make your own incubator using hot water bottles and towels in an esky or a foam box. Alternatively, use the oven with only the light on (no heating and you may need a longer incubation).
- Glass Jars - Use jars with a wide mouth. Plastic can be ok but it needs to be food safe and able to withstand high heat for sterilisation.
Ingredients
- 1 litre milk (whole milk)
Starter Options (use either)
- 20 grams yoghurt
- 0.02 mls Cheeselinks ABY Greek Style + Probiotics culture (needle-tip amount)
Note: Australian standard metric measurements are used throughout this site. The Australian tablespoon is 20 ml compared to 15 ml as the general international standard. 1 teaspoon = 5 ml; 1 tablespoon = 20 ml; 1 cup = 250 ml.
Instructions
Prepare Equipment
- Before you start, sterilise the jar(s) and all equipment that will be used to prepare the yoghurt.
- Ensure your jars fit in your chosen incubator, allowing room for air flow in a dehydrator or for hot water bottles and towels in a foam box.
- Attach your thermomenter to the side of a non-stick or stainless steel pot with a smooth surface.
Milk is less likely to catch on the bottom of a smooth pot during heating. Stainless steel is better than a pot with a rough stone or ridged non-stick surface.
Prepare Yoghurt
- Place the milk in the pot and heat on medium high heat to 90°C, stirring very regularly.1 litre milk
- Carefully hold the hot milk at 92-94°C for 30 minutes, stirring continuously. Do not boil and do not drop below 88°C. As you stir, regularly incorporate any milk buildup on the bottom and side of the pot back into the milk. These milk solids help achieve a thick set yoghurt.
- Cool the milk to around 50-55°C, stirring regularly, so that the milk does not have a chance to form a skin. To speed this up, place the pot (with the milk in it) into a shallow depth of cold water in the sink.
- As the milk cools, prepare the incubator.If you are using a dehydrator, set it to 45°C (max) to preheat.If you are using a foam box, fill hot water bottles with the hottest tap water you have – not boiling water. Place a towel at the bottom of the incubator and have another ready to go on top. Line the walls of the incubator with the hot water bottles.If using your oven, turn the oven on to 50°C, then switch it off, leaving the light on. Ensure heating is off.
- Pour all of the prepared milk, through a coarse ricotta sieve, into a jug. This will remove any milk that caught at the bottom of the pot. You don’t want to lose all the milk solids so don’t use a fine sieve.
- Continue to allow the milk to cool to 43°C stirring occasionally.
- Once cooled to 43°C, in a separate small bowl, mix the starter with about ½ cup of the strained milk, until smooth. Don’t skip this – it is important to ensure that the starter is evenly combined.20 grams yoghurt, 0.02 mls Cheeselinks ABY Greek Style + Probiotics culture
- Pour the starter mixture back into the main jug of milk and stir gently, avoiding air bubbles forming, until evenly combined.
- Pour the yoghurt into the jars for incubation, remove any obvious air bubbles and loosely close the lids.
0.04 mL is a very small amount! You can buy micro-measuring spoons online, or simply dip the tip of a clean, dry paring knife into the culture powder. As a guide, the amount you need is approximately a quarter of the smallest mini measuring spoon, which is 1/64 of a teaspoon and commonly called a Drop. So essentially, you need a quarter of a Drop!
Incubate
- Incubate for 9 hours at 40-42°C. Note that if you are using a dehydrator it is a good idea to place a temperature probe inside to measure the actual temperature versus the set temperature. Our dehydrator set to 45°C is about right for the 40-42°C range.
The longer you incubate the yoghurt, the tangier it will become. Start checking from the 7-8 hour mark but just take a small spoonful from the side to avoid disturbing the gel that is forming.
Chill and Strain
- Without disturbing the yoghurt, close the jar lids fully, and place the jars straight into the refrigerator. Leave them undisturbed for 12 hours.
- Once cold, if you want a thicker yoghurt, strain it for a few hours in a cheesecloth lined colander, over a bowl in the fridge. Straining time is to your taste.
Notes
Yoghurt has several aspects and it is important to how to control each one so you can adjust to your personal preference.
Tanginess
Tanginess is controlled by the starter, incubation temperature, and incubation duration. The longer the yoghurt incubates, the more lactose is converted into lactic acid, producing a tangier flavour. Higher incubation temperatures also increase acid production, while refrigeration slows it dramatically. Different cultures give different flavours so start with a yoghurt you like and perhaps try others and dedicated cultures after that.
Thickness
Thickness is influenced by several factors:
- Heating and holding the milk at high heat for 30 minutes strengthens the protein network.
- Higher protein content (for example, by adding skim milk powder) produces a thicker yoghurt.
- Straining removes whey, creating a much thicker Greek yoghurt.
- Whole milk produces a firmer set yoghurt than reduced-fat milk.
- Holding the milk at high heat for 30 minutes, allowing the proteins to denature and later strengthen the gel.
- Avoiding disturbing the yoghurt – tasting, movement or vibration – while the yoghurt is incubating and until it has chilled.
- Cooling the yoghurt promptly after incubation to stop further acid production.
- Avoiding excessive incubation, as over-acidification causes the protein network to contract and squeeze out whey.
- Keeping the finished yoghurt refrigerated and handling it gently, as stirring and repeated scooping can release additional whey.
Nutrition
Calories: 63kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 41mgPotassium: 160mgSugar: 5gVitamin A: 167IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 0.002mg
