YOGURT from Cultures for Health
Q. How do I make the yogurt thicker? A. There are generally four ways to improve the thickness of the yogurt: Increase the fat content. By using whole milk or a mixture of milk and cream, you increase the fat content of the milk, which naturally increases the thickness to the yogurt. Strain the finished yogurt and remove some of the whey. Using cheesecloth over a bowl or jar allows whey to drain from the yogurt resulting in thicker yogurt. Allow the yogurt to drain for as little as 30 minutes but up to several hours until the desired consistency is achieved. Or, use a yogurt cheese maker to strain the yogurt. As an alternative to using cheesecloth, commercially available yogurt cheese makers allow you to strain some of the whey from the yogurt resulting in thicker yogurt. Heat the milk and hold the temperature. Heating the milk to 180°F and holding the temperature for 30 minutes prior to letting the milk cool to 110°F can also increase the thickness of the final yogurt. Add dry milk powder to the yogurt. 1/2 cup dry milk powder can generally be added to several quarts of milk prior to the milk being heated.
Q. If I strain my yogurt, how long is the whey good for? What can I do with it? A. Refrigerated, your whey should stay good for up to six months. You can use it to ferment vegetables like cabbage. The purpose of the whey is to get the lacto-fermentation to start up a little faster, For instance, most recipes for sauerkraut recommend about 4 tablespoons of whey to a quart of cabbage. You can also add whey to smoothies for extra protein, either as liquid, or frozen in ice cubes.
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