The Urban Hunter Gatherer: July 2014

This mornings brekki - for the granola recipe, refer to the link at the bottom of this blog UHG

Have you ever noticed that unless you go to a specialist store it is impossible to find full cream yoghurt? It’s either low fat, no fat or double cream. Whatever happened to good old plain full cream yoghurt (the yoghurt with one less process)? Sure, you can buy full cream yoghurt at a few fancy specialist shops, but it comes at an unfortunate price.

When the surface of the milk looks like this, turn off stove UHG

I don’t usually like to shop at ‘Woolies’ (a posh chain store in South Africa, whose produce comes in a criminal amount of packaging). However, there are a few things I buy from them and full cream organic milk is one of them. It’s costly, but for me it’s worth it. Here’s the crux of the matter: if I buy ‘Woolies’ organic full cream milk and make my own yoghurt, it still works out just over half the price of the cheapest plain yogurt around, but it’s proper yoghurt, without the nasties like stabilizers, modified starch, sugar etc.

It’s dead easy to make- here’s how…

The wonderful Thembi helping me out and posing for a few pics UHG

WHAT YOU NEED (makes 1 litre):

Milk – 1 liter (skim, 2%, full cream or add extra cream – it’s up to you)

Yoghurt starter culture – 3 tablespoons

WHAT TO DO:

Bring the milk to almost boiling point. I turn my stove off when lots of little bubbles start to form (about 90°c). If you are like me, I suggest you don’t distract yourself with any other tasks while you are waiting for the milk to reach temperature. Too often I’m alerted by a disheartening sssshhhh sound together with the smell of burning milk… all a horrid mess. If you loose focus, fear not; you can still use what’s left of the milk to make yoghurt, if it’s not burnt.

Next, let the milk cool down to between 40°C - 50°C. I don’t use a thermometer: I give my hands a jolly thorough wash and if I can stick my finger into the milk and count to eight without having take it out, it’s ready for some culture. Pour the milk into a (sterilised) 1 liter jar and stir in the yoghurt. Pop the jar into a wonder bag. If you don’t have one, carefully cocoon it in a few pillows. But don’t move its cozy nest or you’ll disturb the setting process! After about 8 hrs you will have a jar of creamy goodness.