Homemade Yoghurt Curds and Whey

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Yoghurt Instructions

Ingredient/Supplies

1 litre of Organic Milk or Raw Milk (raw milk is ideal but does not require heating)

1/3 cup of Commercial Organic Yoghurt    or    Yoghurt Culture Starters.

Thermometer

Yoghurt maker or Excalibur dehydrator, a hot plate or place it on top of your hot water system

Bring 1 litre of milk close to boiling in a stainless steel pan & stir occasionally.  By bringing the milk close to boiling point (no higher than 80 degrees Celsius) you destroy any bacteria which may be lingering in the milk and interfere with the fermentation.  It is important not to boil the milk as it will change its taste.  (Boiling point is set at is 100 degrees).

Take the pan off the heat and cover the pan with the lid to cool down.  You can cool it down faster by placing the pan in the sink with cold water until the temperature reaches between 38-45 degrees Celsius.

After the milk has cooled to 38-45 degrees Celsius, add 1/3 cup of the yoghurt into your milk or use your commercial yoghurt starter.  If you are using a commercial yoghurt starter in powder form you need to dissolve the powder in a little milk first before adding it to the pan.  (The amount of yoghurt starter should be contained on the label).  Make sure you add the yoghurt or starter after it has cooled down and not whilst it is still hot or it will kill the beneficial bacteria.  Stir the mixture well and place in your yoghurt maker (or other source) with temperatures maintaining between 38-45 degrees Celsius.  Ferment the yoghurt for 24 hours or longer so that the lactose is all consumed.

When the fermentation is complete, the yoghurt can be placed into a glass jar and put into the fridge to set for a few hours before consuming.

Whey / cottage cheese

If you want to drip the yoghurt to make whey, use a large cheese cloth and line it into a large colander.  Place the colander into a large glass bowl and pour your yoghurt into the lined colander.  Cover it with a tea towel and leave it for a few hours.  The result will establish a liquid in the glass bowl (whey) and remaining residue in the lined colander will resemble cottage cheese.

Pour the whey into a clean glass jar with a tight lid to use with the GAPS introduction stages and keep it in the refrigerator.  The whey can also be used as a starter for fermenting different foods, such as vegetables, fish, beans and grains (when your patient is ready to have them).

Depending on how long you leave your yoghurt dripping, you can make cottage cheese or a thicker yoghurt.  Both the yoghurt and the cheese can be used for baking, adding to salads and soups and as deserts with honey and fruit.  The next time you make your yoghurt, save about a cup of your yoghurt and add it to your next batch as the starter.

Alternatives

  • If you do not have a yoghurt maker you can place the mixture in an Excalibur dehydrator, a heat pad or place it on top of your hot water system ensuring that it does not get too cold or too hot. Best temperatures are between 38-45 degrees Celsius.
  • If you make yoghurt organic unpasteurised (raw) milk, you don’t need to heat it, just add the starter and ferment. Only pasteurised milk needs heating, as pasteurisation makes milk vulnerable to contamination by pathogenic microbes. Raw milk is usually well protected by its own probiotic bacteria and other factors.  Raw milk is easier for humans to digest than pasteurised milk.
  • Goats milk is easier to digest than cows milk and preferred by GAPS people.