I made a discovery during my yoghurt making. In order to achieve the Greek yoghurt effect, the trick is to take the milk to 92 degrees C and then cool it to 46 degrees before adding the live starter culture and incubating it at around 43 degrees. However, the results can be a bit hit and miss in terms of thickness.
What I discovered is that it's best to take the milk to 92 degrees slowly, and then hold it at 92 for as long as possible before cooling it. On enquiring as to why this should be, the family biochemist (Hay) explained to me that this gives the casein proteins, which cause the coagulation that thickens the yoghurt, more time to denature. In effect, it turns the proteins into long chains, like a polymer. It's the long casein chains that give Greek yoghurt its thickness.
Worked a treat! I did 5 minutes this time, but will extend to 10 this coming Sunday, which is my usual yoghurt making day. I must, however, source a larger Kilner jar. I also wish the oven was a bit more friendly at low temperatures - it would be nice to perform the incubation in the oven, rather than using a blanket, but the temperature feedback of the oven is too laggy under 100 degrees to guarantee a stable temperature and it can vary too much.
All these street parties where people are breaking lockdown. Absolutely fantastic - they will be the guinea pigs and touchstones for the rest of us. All we have to do is sit back and watch the results to see if they get an increase in the infection rate. However, the downside will be the fact the NHS staff will have to look after them if they do get infected.
Parliament too. If they return and all's well at the end of 2 weeks, we'll know it's relatively safe to venture out.
All these street parties where people are breaking lockdown. Absolutely fantastic - they will be the guinea pigs and touchstones for the rest of us. All we have to do is sit back and watch the results to see if they get an increase in the infection rate. However, the downside will be the fact the NHS staff will have to look after them if they do get infected.
Parliament too. If they return and all's well at the end of 2 weeks, we'll know it's relatively safe to venture out.
2 comments:
CB - have you considered buying an actual Yogurt maker, I use an old Philips one from the 70s! Makes life a lot, lot easier (temp control-wise) and comes with handy sized containers too. Of course this route is less "the good life" a more "the easy life" but the results are good IMO :)
I used to use a thermos flask and leave it overnight to turn into yogurt. Also if you add dried milk to the liquid milk before you heat produces a thicker yogurt.
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