Dear Taryn, how do you make yoghurt?

I’m getting a lot of enquiries about how I make yoghurt so here it is for all you folks who’ve wondered how to do it.

It is so easy, your 2 year old could make it – you know, if you’re partial to having milk and yoghurt scattered in puddles all over the floor.

Yoghurt made with this way is full of beneficial bacteria for your gut. Remember that 80% or more of your immune system is located in the gut so you really want to be looking after it.

This one has been sitting in the fridge for about 24 hours to set. This is the end result. YUMMY real food.

What you need to make yoghurt

One large clean jar which can hold a capacity of 2 and a bit litres
2 L of raw milk – from your dairy farmer or if you’re in the city – from the Health Food shop
1 cup of good quality commercial full fat natural yoghurt with no sugar added.
One long clean wooden spoon.

What you need to do (not much)

Tip your milk into the jar, throw your yoghurt in. Mix well. Set aside for 24 hours (at a comfortable room temp of around 24 degrees C). Put the lid on slightly ajar so air can circulate. Try and stir the mix every few hours. After 24 hours put it in the fridge to set. Save a cup of the yoghurt to inoculate your next batch.

You will notice from the pictures above that the cream or cottage cheese is floating on the top and the whey is underneath. Each time you take some to eat, get your long spoon out and reincorporate the cream into the whey. Alternately you can separate both elements using a strainer and some muslin and enjoy the cottage cheese on it’s own or drink the whey or use it to culture anything your heart desires.

Making yoghurt this way will not result in what you are used to buying from the supermarket. This yoghurt is a lot thinner than what you’re used to. Commercial yoghurts use milk solids (milk powder) to get their yoghurt thick.