Tried making yoghurt again with my Instant Pot because I had an 2L in the fridge and didn't know what to do with it. However, disaster struck. When it didn't reach 180 deg F after the first boil, I got smart and used the Saute function like the last time (Normal, not even High which was what I used last time). Immediately I noticed that it 'burped' then split and become grainy! I was rather shocked. From then on, it was unsalvageable, no matter how much I whisked away.
After adding my frozen starter (from my last homemade batch), I prayed that it would be ok. Next morning, this is what I found - lumpy with a layer of whey on top. 😩 So upset but then I read this link and proceeded to make ricotta. I strained it using a fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth (sterilised first with boiling water!) into a big bowl and let it sit. Although the link recommends 12 hours in the fridge, mine separated quite easily in 5 minutes and I had a forkable texture, I didn't need the ricotta too hard.
http://forkableblog.com/?p=1666
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| Ricotta |
But why did my yoghurt fail to begin with? This link offers some explanations:
http://nourishedkitchen.com/troubleshooting-homemade-yogurt-questions/
1) Heating up the milk too fast.
I can't use the Low saute because that only goes up to 105 def F whereas Normal is 160 deg F, also well below the 180 deg F needed. I should indeed have used High which even then, is only 170 deg F. - so that's not the cause.
2) Heating beyond 180 deg F.
Some links say we should go up to 185 deg F and I went to 190 deg F the last time
- so that's not the cause.
3) Dead starter
This is possible. Although other links indicate that it's perfectly ok to freeze the starter and use the thawed version to make yoghurt, it is much safer to use fresh culture. I can't be sure, but this might have been a reason. My thawed starter was very liquidy but whether the culture was dead or not, I have no way of knowing.
4) The wrong milk
I was already aware that I shouldn't use low fat milk but this link gave me the answer - using A2milk!
I quickly went to look at my discarded milk bottles and voila, the culprit. No wonder the milk and split so fast!
Also, ancilary to this, I learnt that
5) Don't use greek yoghurt as starter
http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2013/09/homemade-yogurt-troubleshooting-guide/
Dunno why. Stick to Yoplait or Dannon. I use regular Coles housebrand and that's fine.
6) If saving starter from the homemade yoghurt, buy a new batch after the 6th or 8th attempt otherwise the acidity is off.
http://greatist.com/health/make-your-own-homemade-yogurt-how-to-diy
Updated 10 Sep 17
I have been using fresh yoghurt culture or frozen culture and read somewhere that freezing the culture doesn't kill the yoghurt bacteria. I also read that you can't keep using 'cloned' yoghurt culture indefinitely, that sometimes you need to use a fresh batch. After some experimentation, this is what I learnt:
Re (5): there is nothing wrong with using fresh Greek yoghurt as a culture, so (5) is wrong.
Re (6): Freezing cloned culture may be a bad idea. I tried 2 different experiments: fresh greek yoghurt + frozen cloned culture and fresh cloned yoghurt + frozen clone culture. Both worked. However, the first one needed 10 hours and was very thick; the second one was runny even after 10 hours (but did thicken up slightly in the fridge overnight). So maybe the problem is with using frozen cloned culture.
Alternatively, I also used a lot of cloned culture (ie the fresh + frozen) which came up to about ½ cup, and also the fermentation time ie the longer the thicker. However, there will be point beyond which it won't get any thicker unless the whey is strained.
6) If saving starter from the homemade yoghurt, buy a new batch after the 6th or 8th attempt otherwise the acidity is off.
http://greatist.com/health/make-your-own-homemade-yogurt-how-to-diy
Updated 10 Sep 17
I have been using fresh yoghurt culture or frozen culture and read somewhere that freezing the culture doesn't kill the yoghurt bacteria. I also read that you can't keep using 'cloned' yoghurt culture indefinitely, that sometimes you need to use a fresh batch. After some experimentation, this is what I learnt:
Re (5): there is nothing wrong with using fresh Greek yoghurt as a culture, so (5) is wrong.
Re (6): Freezing cloned culture may be a bad idea. I tried 2 different experiments: fresh greek yoghurt + frozen cloned culture and fresh cloned yoghurt + frozen clone culture. Both worked. However, the first one needed 10 hours and was very thick; the second one was runny even after 10 hours (but did thicken up slightly in the fridge overnight). So maybe the problem is with using frozen cloned culture.
Alternatively, I also used a lot of cloned culture (ie the fresh + frozen) which came up to about ½ cup, and also the fermentation time ie the longer the thicker. However, there will be point beyond which it won't get any thicker unless the whey is strained.
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