How to save money on starter for making homemade yogurt? How to make yogurt at home: technology. Yogurt recipes at home: in a yogurt maker, thermos, saucepan

The fact that not all purchased products are equally healthy is a long-known fact; in this regard, one can increasingly notice that young modern housewives give preference to home-made products: homemade mayonnaise, cheese, kefir and even yogurt. It is not for nothing that the popularity of homemade products is so great, because the absence of thickeners, dyes and preservatives plays to our advantage, and making a homemade product, for the most part, is much cheaper than buying it.

In this article we will learn how to make yogurt at home and look at all the nuances of this process.

How to make natural yogurt?

Making yogurt at home is not so easy at first, however, having understood the technological and microbiological details of this process, it becomes clear that making yogurt with your own hands is not much more difficult than buying it in a supermarket.

So, to begin with, we choose a starter: a pharmacy or store-bought liquid or powdered starter of lactobacilli, lactococci, or thermophilic streptococci, together - the first component of the basis of the future product. No matter how hard you try, it is impossible to prepare a starter for yogurt yourself, but concentrated cultures can be replaced with a few spoons of ready-made yogurt, without filler.

The second key to successful cooking is adherence to cooking technology. Before you start cooking, you need to sterilize the utensils you use: a saucepan and a spoon, using steam or simply pouring boiling water over them. It is better to use a thick-walled pan or with a double bottom to better retain heat. By the way, the ideal temperature for fermenting yogurt is in the range from 40 to 44 degrees.

Yogurt without a yogurt maker takes about 5-6 hours to prepare, the longer, the more sour the finished product will be, but do not overcook the delicacy, otherwise it may turn into sour milk. The consistency of the finished product is moderately thick and dense, slightly viscous, but not lumpy.

To stop the cooking, after the fermentation process is complete, place the pot of yogurt in the refrigerator and consume it within 4-5 days.

How to make yogurt at home?

This recipe describes the preparation of yogurt without a special starter, but on the basis of an already finished product. When buying yoghurt for starter culture, be sure to pay attention to its composition: it should not contain any additives or fillers (the composition is only milk and starter culture), and the shelf life should not exceed 1 month. Also avoid any product that is cooked or labeled as a “yogurt product.”

Ingredients:

• milk (fat) – 1 l;
• yogurt – 100 g.

Preparation

Bring the milk to a boil, boil for about 5 minutes, and then cool to 40 degrees, do not forget to remove the resulting foam. Pour the yogurt into the cooled milk and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Next, our task is to keep the temperature at 40 degrees. This can be achieved in several ways: pour the mixture into a thermos, wrap the pan with a blanket and place it on the radiator, or place the container in the oven at a constant 40 degrees. In any case, the fermentation time will take on average 5-6 hours; during this period the pan must not be opened or moved! After fermentation, we check the consistency - if the yogurt is moderately liquid, then you can take it out and cool it, since over time it will thicken a little more.

Homemade yogurt recipe with starter

Using ready-made starters is even more convenient.

Ingredients:

We will tell you which starters to buy for this purpose in this article. We will also reveal the secrets of how to use such a product, how much it costs and where it is sold.

General information

Before I tell you where to buy yogurt starter, it is necessary to tell you why it is made at home.

They have always been distinguished by a huge number of useful properties. They improve digestion, strengthen the immune system and stimulate the absorption of vitamins.

However, it should be noted that yoghurts sold in stores very often contain dyes, preservatives and other harmful additives. In this regard, we suggest you try to prepare such a product yourself. To make it tasty and tender, you should use only suitable starters for yogurt at home.

Useful properties of yogurt

The composition of yogurt determines its beneficial properties. The main functions of this product are the following:

• preventing the proliferation of putrefactive microorganisms in the intestines;
• improved digestion and stomach function;
• cleansing the intestines of waste, toxins and feces;
• destruction of streptococci and staphylococci, typhoid bacilli;
• improving food absorption;
• prevention of infectious diseases;
• increasing immunity;
• facilitating the weight loss process.

The composition of yogurt depends on what kind of starter was used to prepare it. A high-quality product can be obtained due to the presence of the following substances:

• saturated fatty acids;
• organic acids;
• disaccharides;
• monosaccharides;
• microelements;
• macroelements.

The yogurt starter, as well as the product itself, are an excellent source of calcium. According to experts, two glasses of fruit yogurt can contain ½ the daily dose of this microelement for children and approximately 30% for adults.

It should also be noted that in terms of potassium content, this fermented milk product is in no way inferior to bananas. In addition, the unique benefit of homemade yogurt is that it promotes better absorption of vitamins and other substances that enter the body along with other foods.

A fermented milk product with the addition of fruits and berries can quickly restore the intestinal microflora, as well as block harmful substances that come with food or medications.

Due to the fact that the starter is added to milk, this product is absorbed better and faster.

Regular consumption of yogurt promotes the rapid elimination of waste and toxins through the digestive system and excretory organs (feces, urine, sweat).

Indicators of caloric content and nutritional value of yogurt

Homemade yogurt, prepared in a yogurt maker or slow cooker, can have different calorie content. It depends on the base fat content of the milk. On average, the calorie content of such a product is 68 energy units per 100 g. It should also be noted that homemade yogurt contains 8.5 g of carbohydrates, 5 g of protein and 3.2 g of fat.

As for the vitamins contained in such a fermented milk product, their list is very, very extensive: vitamin A, B12, B1, B3, B2, B6, C, PP, choline.

It should also be noted that homemade yogurt, prepared in a yogurt maker or slow cooker, includes the following minerals: magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulfur, sodium, iron, phosphorus, fluorine, zinc, manganese, chlorine, chromium and iodine. Thanks to them, this product is often used to eliminate the deficiency of micro- and macroelements in the body.

From all of the above, it can be noted that a good yogurt starter is an excellent natural antibiotic. The calorie content of such a product is low, and the taste is always at the highest level.

Sourdough selection

Yogurt makers and multicookers are wonderful devices that are very often used to prepare tasty and healthy fermented milk products. However, those who purchased them are immediately interested in which starters for yogurt at home should be used.

The possibilities here are different. You can go to your nearest store and buy it without preservatives, dyes and other additives. It is quite easy to identify such a product among the rest. As a rule, its shelf life is 1-2 days. This ingredient will make an excellent yogurt starter. Its price is not very high (30-60 rubles), so anyone can make this delicacy at home. However, natural yogurt today is not sold everywhere and not always. If you could not find such a product, then you can go to the pharmacy. It contains the following starters for yogurt at home:

• sourdough "Evitalia";
• sourdough (enzyme) “Narine”;
• "Narine-F Balance";
• "Bifidumbacterin" and so on.

The first two products are especially popular. However, they say that homemade yogurt from Narine starter is slightly sour than from Evitalia. However, this is a matter of personal taste. Try both and make your choice.

Is it expensive?

Now you know where to buy yogurt starter. But how much will such pleasure cost? A special enzyme for preparing homemade fermented milk products costs much more than natural yogurt (about 150-210 rubles).

However, most cooks choose dry sourdough. What is this connected with? The fact is that it is quite problematic to make real yogurt from an ordinary fermented milk product, since if you choose a low-quality starter (expired, with the presence of dyes, preservatives, etc.) you will spoil a large amount of milk.

As for the dry starter culture for yogurt (reviews about it will be presented below), it is quite difficult to spoil the raw materials with it. In addition, it is not necessary to purchase an enzyme every time. The starter must be prepared once and then stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Thus, the problem of finding the mentioned product arises only once, during the first production of the fermented milk product.

By the way, you can ask for ready-made starter from your friends who also like to enjoy tasty and healthy yogurt.

Details about the enzyme "Narine"

Sourdough "Narine" is especially popular among lovers of homemade yogurt. This product is a dry substance, namely a mass of acidophilic lactobacilli. They quickly settle in the intestines, normalize the microflora of the lower digestive tract, and also help improve metabolism. In addition, this leaven helps get rid of many diseases, including diseases of the respiratory, digestive, excretory and genitourinary systems.

Ferment "Narine" has long been used to treat patients with diabetes, periodontal disease and oncology.

Details about the sourdough "Evitalia"

Along with the Narine enzyme, the Evitalia ferment is also particularly popular. One penicillin vial of this product (about 0.25-0.3 g) contains approximately (1.5-2 x 109) colony-forming units, as well as about 2 billion living microorganisms.

Prepared with Evitalia sourdough, it contains vitamins B2, B1, B12, B6, E, A and C, as well as folic acid, iron, magnesium, calcium and natural antioxidants.

The shelf life of the working starter in the refrigerator is about 18 days, and the finished product is 1 week.

How to use dry sourdough at home?

How much yogurt starter will you need to get a tasty and healthy treat for the whole family? For this, only one bottle is enough. Its contents are diluted with warm water until all grains are completely dissolved. Then cow's milk (preferably pasteurized, since it does not need to be boiled beforehand) is heated separately to a temperature of 38-39 degrees. After this, the prepared enzyme is added to it and mixed thoroughly.

The resulting mass is poured into special jars that come with the yogurt maker. Finally, the filled cups are placed in the device and kept in it until the first signs of thickening.

After the milk thickens, the machine is turned off. After 30 minutes, the jars of ready-made yogurt are closed with lids and placed in the refrigerator.

The resulting fermented milk product can be consumed in any way you like. It is eaten with sugar, jam, honey, fruit (frozen or fresh), berries, etc.

Another way to make yogurt with dry starter

The presented sourdough recipe is more correct. Using it, you can make very tasty and healthy yogurt, which will have an excellent taste and delicate consistency.

Pour 500 milk of 3.5% fat into a deep saucepan and bring it to a boil. If you purchased ultra-pasteurized or sterilized raw materials, then it is not necessary to boil it. Just heat the milk to a temperature of 39-43 degrees.

Simultaneously with the heat treatment of the raw materials, we prepare the containers. To do this, sterilize the thermometer, yogurt bowl and spoon.

Having cooled the milk to a temperature of 39-43 degrees, open the bottle with the Evitalia or Narine starter culture. Pour some warm raw material into it and mix thoroughly. After this, pour the contents of the bottle into a saucepan with milk and stir again with a sterile spoon.

Place the resulting mixture in a sterilized multicooker container and leave it in heating mode. After 5-6 hours, the yogurt will become thick, tender and very tasty. We pour it into glass jars and place it in the refrigerator.

Before adding sugar, honey, jam, fruits, berries or other ingredients to yogurt, reserve some of the product. We will need it as a starter for the next batch of homemade delicacies.

A simple and easy way to make homemade yogurt

Now you know the recipe for sourdough, which involves the use of dry enzyme purchased at the pharmacy. But what if you were unable to buy such a product? You can replace it with regular yoghurt (natural) without various preservatives and dyes.

By the way, it is not necessary to make fermented milk product at home using such modern devices as a slow cooker or a yogurt maker. You can also prepare this delicacy on the stove using a regular water bath.

So, to make homemade yogurt we will need:

Cooking method

There is nothing difficult in preparing such yogurt. The main thing is to use only sterilized equipment and fresh raw materials and starter culture.

Cow's milk is poured into a three-liter glass jar, and then placed in a large and deep saucepan, on the bottom of which a cloth napkin or some kind of stand is placed. After this, plain water is poured into the dishes. The liquid should reach the shoulders of the jar.

In this form, place the pan on low heat and heat the milk to 40-42 degrees. If you are using non-UHT raw materials, then they are first heated very much and then cooled to the specified temperature.

After the milk becomes warm, remove it from the pan and immediately add fresh natural yogurt. Having thoroughly mixed the components with a sterilized spoon, they are quickly closed with a plastic lid and wrapped in a warm cotton blanket or an old synthetic down jacket. In this form, yogurt is left near the radiator or simply in a warm room.

Exactly one day later, the fermented milk product should thicken noticeably and acquire a very delicate consistency. It is removed from the blanket and immediately placed in the refrigerator. After this, the yogurt is distributed into bowls and served along with sugar, honey, jam, berries, fruits and other ingredients.

If you like the taste and consistency of such a product, then you can put it in a separate jar (before adding various components) and use it as a starter for the next time.

If you don’t like this delicacy, you can make it using another yogurt.

By regularly experimenting and using different products, you are sure to prepare exactly the dessert that not only you, but also all members of your family will like.

Yogurt starters: reviews

Cooks who regularly make homemade yogurt claim that the best starter for such a product is the dry enzyme sold in pharmacies. Which one to choose is up to you. Due to the presence of certain substances in them, they can make yogurt more sour or bland, thicker or thinner, and so on.

As for sourdough in the form of a store-bought fermented milk product, most often it is used only by housewives who know where to buy natural yogurt without dyes and preservatives. According to their reviews, with the correct use of such a product, you can get not only a very tasty, but also a healthy delicacy that will definitely be appreciated by all household members.

Yogurt starter is a special product that contains special fermented milk bacteria that are involved in the fermentation process. They must contain the so-called Bulgarian bacillus, as it allows the conversion of lactose and sugar into lactic acid, which has a positive effect on the condition of the intestines. This ingredient is sold both in stores and in pharmacies. Its price is usually relatively low.

The yogurt starter also contains many bifidobacteria, which not only improve the condition of the intestines, but also strengthen the immune system. This is why homemade yogurt is one of the healthiest dairy products. Its positive qualities are as follows:

• homemade yogurt is completely natural, since you will not add various preservatives and harmful additives to it;
• you can be confident that you will eat fresh yogurt if you prepare it yourself;
• a homemade product made with sourdough contains a large amount of protein, which is easily absorbed by the body;
• if you are lactose intolerant, then you will probably like homemade yogurt, since this fermented milk product contains a minimal amount of this substance;
• Using yogurt you can cope with constipation in adults and children, as well as improve intestinal microflora.

In order to make truly tasty and healthy yogurt, you need to choose the right starter. Therefore, when you go shopping for ingredients for a fermented milk dish, carefully study the list of sourdough manufacturers, its varieties, and also read consumer reviews. We will tell you about the varieties of the product in our article to make it easier for you to make a choice.

Varieties

There are many varieties of yogurt starters, each of which has its own pros and cons. When choosing it to make yogurt or kefir with your own hands, pay attention to the manufacturer. It is best to give preference to well-known companies whose products often appear on store shelves. It is better not to buy sourdough from little-known companies. Here is a list of products from the best manufacturers that are popular among housewives:

• “Vivo” (“Vivo”);
• "Lactina" ("Lactina");
• "Narine";
• "Lactoferm";
• "Evitalia";
• "Yoghurt."

If it is not possible to find yogurt starter in your stores, you can always order it from the online store. Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date!

In addition to the manufacturer, yogurt starter also has differences in consistency. There are dry and liquid starters. Dry sourdough is also called “live”. It has a longer shelf life than liquid and gives the yogurt a special taste.

In turn, liquid yogurt starter has a much shorter shelf life and also gives the finished yogurt a completely different taste. However, if you have health problems, then yogurt made with liquid starter will help you strengthen your immune system, just like a product with dry starter.

How to make yogurt with and without starter at home?

You can make yogurt at home with or without sourdough. This tasty product can be given to infants, children, pregnant women and people with reduced immunity. You can prepare yogurt using a yogurt maker and a slow cooker. We will tell you how to do this right now.

In the yogurt maker

To make yogurt with starter in a yogurt maker, you won't need much time or effort. To do this, prepare the required amount of milk and starter, carefully read the instructions on the ingredient package, and then you can add the starter to the liquid, mixing the ingredients thoroughly. Then the resulting mixture should be poured into a yogurt maker and left to infuse for eight to ten hours. After the required amount of time, your sourdough yogurt will be ready to eat.

To prepare a product in a yogurt maker without starter, you need to find a replacement for it. Most often, “live” yoghurts are used as a starter, preferably in a very fresh form.

In a slow cooker

If you don’t have a yogurt maker, you can also make sourdough yogurt in a slow cooker. Prepare the necessary ingredients, namely:

• 1 liter of fresh milk;
• dry sourdough – one sachet.

Boil the milk and cool it to thirty degrees. Then add the starter to the liquid, stir and pour the mixture into sterilized jars. You need to pour water into the multicooker bowl and lower the jars into it so that the liquid reaches the shoulders of the can, and then turn the multicooker to the “Heating” mode. Leave the jars of yogurt in the slow cooker for six to eight hours, and then remove them and close the lids, putting them in the refrigerator. This will stop the ripening process and your yogurt will be thick and tasty.

Greek yogurt

Many housewives believe that Greek yogurt is very difficult to prepare on their own. Actually this is not true. To enjoy such a delicious product, you need to take a liter of fresh or UHT milk, bring it to a boil, and then cool it to room temperature. Then you should add the starter, mix the contents of the container thoroughly and wrap it in warm blankets, after covering it with a lid. Leave the mixture to sit for five hours.

After the required amount of time, you need to strain the mixture through cheesecloth and wrap the resulting clot. Leave the package hanging for two hours so that the liquid can drain on its own, and after that time the Greek yogurt will be ready for use.

Using yogurt starter, you can always prepare delicious fermented milk products that will not only delight you and your family with their taste, but also help improve intestinal health and strengthen the immune system. Enjoy ready-made sourdough yoghurts with pleasure!

Yogurt is a very popular and extremely healthy fermented milk product with a high content of low-fat substances, which is prepared from natural milk and sourdough.

Adding other components to some types of products offered to us by retail chains is a trick of marketers capitalizing on the interest and demand of the population. In addition, such sweet and pseudo-healthy “snacks” contain a lot of completely unhealthy additives.

We can do it ourselves

For those who want to eat natural milk yogurt, it is not so difficult to prepare it at home; for this you need a starter, we will tell you how to find it.

Homemade yogurt with starter can be prepared in a slow cooker (or in a water bath - if you don’t have these convenient modern devices on your household). In a simple version, s are very suitable for our purposes.

Home cycle

The basic idea of ​​​​the process of making homemade yogurt is as follows: whole milk is subjected to a pasteurization process for a certain time, after which yogurt starter is added to it. The milk is fermented, we get a tasty and healthy product - alive.

Where can I get good sourdough?

In cities, it is easy to buy a good dry starter for yogurt in pharmacies or order it in online stores. In large retail chains you can find liquid, thick sourdough - it is very convenient.

In order not to constantly spend money on sourdough, we store a single portion of ready-made yogurt (for example, 150 ml) in the refrigerator in a clean, sealed container. We use it as a starter for preparing the next batch of homemade yogurt and store it for no more than 10 days.

There is another solution: initially buy only 1 package of so-called live unsweetened thermostatic yogurt. This means that its shelf life cannot be more than 5-15 days. Naturally, such a starting product should not contain preservatives, dyes, thickeners and other useful and unhealthy additives.

Recipe for making yoghurt with starter at home

A general important rule: use milk of medium and high fat content.

Ingredients:

• milk – 1-2 liters;
• sourdough – 100-150 ml.

Preparation

A simplified process (if we use already pasteurized milk, a standardized starter, a yogurt maker or a slow cooker).

The milk should be about 35-38 degrees (optimal ripening temperature). Mix the starter with some of the milk in a separate bowl. After 10 minutes, mix with the rest of the milk. Next, the milk wort is fermented at a constant temperature in a yogurt maker or multicooker for 4-8 hours (but not more than 12).

A more complex option with whole unpasteurized milk

For example, you are lucky enough to live in a place where you can buy milk from a farm (or milk it). To make yogurt we need to remove microorganisms from milk. To do this, we pasteurize it.

Three milk pasteurization modes

First (long-term): heat the milk at a temperature of about 63 degrees for half an hour.

Second (short): milk is heated at a temperature of about 75 degrees for 15-20 seconds.

Third (instant): the milk is heated to 90 degrees, after which the fire is immediately turned off.

It should be noted that to prepare homemade yogurt with any of the starters, a long process is preferable, since strong heating of the milk changes its properties, making it less healthy (in addition, it ferments worse).

In any case, after pasteurization, add the starter at a temperature no higher than 38 degrees.

Now, put the warm milk in a thermos for 5-8 hours (and you’re done).

Now you can safely prepare real live homemade yoghurts with sourdough and enjoy.

The best dessert of this type is homemade yogurt from starter culture. This will help you avoid troubles when using a product produced by the food industry:

Allergies;
heartburn;
diarrhea.

During the production of finished products, flavorings and low-quality milk are often added to the delicacy; the shelf life is increased due to chemical preservatives. Therefore, it is better for people with poor health, as well as for young children, to prepare the product at home, using starter cultures from a trusted company.

How to cook yogurt in a saucepan

You need to buy super pasteurized milk. Regular one will do, just boil it.

Important to remember! When fermenting a farm goat or cow product, the fresh starting material must be subjected to heat treatment - this will help protect yourself from foodborne infections.

Product consumption:

1 bottle of starter;
1-3 liters of milk (soy, almond, goat, cow);
a saucepan with a thick bottom;
a thick blanket or any other heat-protective material (an old coat or children's fur coat).

You can buy starters if you visit this website.

How to cook:

1. Heat UHT milk to a temperature of 35-40 degrees. When there is no special thermometer at home, you can drop some liquid on the back of your wrist. If the warmth is felt and does not burn, that will be enough.

2. Pour a little warm liquid into the container with the starter (about halfway), close the bottle with a cap.

3. Shake thoroughly until the dry substance is completely dissolved in the milk.

4. Pour warm milk into a saucepan, mix well with a spoon - do not use a whisk or mixer!

5. Cover the future yogurt with a lid, wrap it in a thick blanket and leave in a warm place for 6-8 hours.

6. If the time is up and the product has not thickened enough, you need to move the dish with the treat to a warmer place and wrap it again in a warm cloth so that the yogurt ripens.

7. As soon as the condition of the product is satisfactory, the pan should be put in the refrigerator for ripening. This should take about a day - then the treat will be especially tender and tasty.

After this, you can add any berries and fruits available in the house, nuts, honey or healthy grains to the treat.

This way you can prepare different yogurts. This makes Vivo yogurt especially delicious.

A special unit produced by household equipment companies remains an indispensable assistant in preparing healthy and tasty homemade yogurt. Yogurt makers allow you to guarantee a high-quality delicacy without much effort and hassle:

Most have a warm-up timer;
constant heat and tightness eliminate “failures”;
All containers are easy to clean and sterilize.

To prepare a delicious treat for kids and adults, you need to mix the starter with the required amount of boiled or ultra-pasteurized milk in a blender. Pour into jars or a common container for ripening. Close the unit with a lid and set the desired time - for each type of liquid, the time for which it ferments may differ from each other.

Important to know! If you choose a yogurt maker with separate jars that have lids, you need to seal them only after they are ready. This convenience will allow you to take the product on the road or for a walk with your baby.