I made my first successful batch of yoghurt this week using the Thermomix and the ThermoServer to incubate. I only failed once, and I know that was because I didn't use the right kind of yoghurt as the starter. Folks, it needs to be pot set, and I knew that, but when I went shopping to get an appropriate starter, they didn't have any of the type I wanted. I picked up something else, and I think I knew it wasn't going to work, but for some reason I tried anyway.
Later in the week, after having procured the correct starter, I used Valerie's method which is detailed on
Forum Thermomix. After 12-13 hours sitting on the bench in the ThermoServer, I lifted the lid to discover...
...perfection!
And so easy in the Thermomix!
So, now with just under a litre of yoghurt in the fridge, what was I to do with it? Firstly, I celebrated with a delicious banana smoothie. Then, after some pondering, I decided to make yoghurt cheese aka labneh. Officially, labneh has salt added to help draw out the moisture, but I've been really interested to make cheesecake with this that I decided to leave out the salt. Perhaps more correctly I should call this yoghurt cheese?
To make yoghurt cheese, all you need to do is line a strainer/colander with a cheesecloth, or a muslin cloth (I used a previously unused muslin baby swaddling cloth doubled over in a mesh strainer. I put the strainer over a bowl and poured the yoghurt into the muslin. The lot then went onto the bottom shelf of the fridge. I did this at 10.30pm last night. I pulled it out of the fridge this morning and poured out some of the whey to use in my
English Muffins (in place of the water). Tonight at about 8.30pm I decided to check on my yoghurt cheese. I did a final squeeze with my hands and then admired the results...
...smooth, creamy, silky, luscious.
So approximately 800g of homemade yoghurt made about 320g yoghurt cheese (the remainder being whey which certainly won't go to waste, ricotta will call me one day!). This won't be enough for the cheesecake I want to make, so into a container it goes and another batch of yoghurt cheese will be made in the next couple of days.
Happy days my friends :)