Proper yoghurt

We have always loved proper full-fat yoghurt. In the UK we buy Yeo Valley or Rachel's. Here in France we buy Deux Vaches and OH gets a Bifidis one from the organic supermarket for his IBS. We used to make it a lot and I never understood the need for fussy yoghurt makers. We boil the milk to reduce it by a third, put it in a clean bowl, leave it to cool until you can stick your finger in and count to ten, add the live culture and stick it by the woodburner (or in the airing cupboard) overnight.

I have a cheap yoghurt maker I bought from Lakeland eons ago. It's just a tub inside anothef plastic tube that plugs into the socket and gets just warm enough to start fermentation.
Whenever I have left over milk I make yoghurt. It's very easy and you know what's gone into it.

I'm going to make sauerkraut this weekend. Anyone eise tried to make that?

Anya not me.

But I have made cottage cheese or cream cheese, the smooth variety, not the lumpy one, by hanging yoghurt tied in a clean muslin cloth over the kitchen tap (so it can drain into the sink). I'm going to try that again, haven't done it for yonks. Do you know how to do that Mamie? Have I got it right?

You don't even need power - Easyyo have one with an outer container that you part fill with boiling water, and an inner for cold water and a sachet of starter/milk powder.

I have GK, but not for years. Must be on a YouTube video!
Sauerkraut sounds interesting; have never tried that.

I like the "the watery, over-sugared, flavoured rubbish". Especially when it's got huge lumps of fruit in it.

Plenty of plain/natural/Greek/whatever on the shelves of Waitrose. Can't imagine faffing around making it.

I haven't made yoghurt but I've been wondering if it would be cost effective.

I eat the Fage natural full fat Greek yoghurt every day. The 500g pot costs £2.39 and lasts 3/4 days depending on how greedy I'm being and if I have any double cream in the house.

The other question is of course how the taste of home made greek style yoghurt would compare to the one I love.

I must have a look at yoghurt makers.

Years ago when I worked for a dairy company, back in the 1950's, we sold yoghurt, the only sort available in those days. So it was natural and unadulterated. But it tasted absolutely horrible! Does natural yoghurt still taste foul these days? Must admit I like modern fruity yoghurt very much even if it's not entirely healthy.

I think it is the simmering and reducing the milk by a third that gives you the Greek style yoghurt. At the risk of repeating myself; you really don't need to buy a yoghurt maker. A saucepan, a finger and a warm place in the house is enough.

Plain natural yogurt tastes of nothing but - yogurt. Boring really. It is something that cries out for flavouring.

baubles I'd recommend mine. I've had it at least 10 years. Lakeland still sell them for about £20. I turn mine on at night when I go to bed and tne yoghurt's ready in the morning.

I have tried your saucepan method too Mamie and it worked well but I had a tendency to wander off and forget it which resulted in lots to burn pans

You can add flavour jingl - anything you have to hand, fruit, cereal, marmite.

I don't think it would be quite the same.

Marmite indeed!

Baubles The Easiyo Greek Yoghurt with Honey sachets are about £13 for a pack of 5 in Lakeland. Each sachet makes a litre, which lasts me about a week. That is one of the more expensive packs, some of them are less than £12 a pack

There are various fruit flavours, low fat ones etc etc

Thay can also be bought online, from Easiyo itself or from various other sellers.

Jings Strawberry jam with natural yoghurt is good - just like the corner pots.

I eat my natural yoghurt with granola and honey.

jingle the plain/natural/Greek whatever yoghurt on the shelves is often runny. Not like proper yoghurt!

Elegran & Anya do yours make thick yoghurt?

Mamie I have tendency to burn milk

Yes, the Greek /honey one is lovely and thick.

Oh yes Elegran. I've done that.

Love those corner pots. #soddingdiet

baubles I make thick yoghurt and drinking yoghurt. I play around with different ideas. To thicken it add dried milk to the mix. To make it taste of strawberries, coconut, etc add an actimel.
My basic recipe is left over milk, a couple of spoons of live yoghurt and a bit of sugar.
I've never tried Lakeland's Easiyo sachets but you make them sound tempting Elegran and I might have a go.
I buy shop yoghurt in various flavours and textures too. But it's when I get a surplus of milk that I use it up this way.

I always have yeo valley natural and full fat too! Gone off all this low fat malarkey. Also love their lemon curd yogs for a treat and also Amore orange yog is to die for!
I too have the EasyYo but it does have a different taste. Must try using it with a couple of spoonfuls of yeo valley and warm milk and see if that works too. We used to have an electric yog maker with six small pots in it. I think 30 years ago the yogs were mostly fruity and sugary so I liked to make the children natural ones and then add home made fruit purée or honey. Now I mostly just buy ready made!
And as for men and yogurt - my dh has never even tasted it!

Henetha - I don't think natural yogurt today tastes as sour as it used to. It seems to be creamier somehow. And is a lovely thick creamy consistency too.