Making Yogurt in my Kenwood Yogurella YM100

[BakerAunt]

It’s 33F and snowing big wet snowflakes since this morning. It’s a good day to try making yogurt. I have a Kenmore Yogurella YM100 yogurt maker that I bought from Tuesday Morning, probably about five years ago and never used. I had the directions a few months ago, but now they are misplaced. I went online and had a difficult time finding a manual, but I found the directions, then read up on making yogurt using Google. I'm giving this project its own thread in case another poor soul out there is looking for that illusive instruction manual.

I have a nice All-Clad saucepan with heavy bottom that did well for heating 800ml of 1% milk, with 2 Tbs. Bob’s Red Mill milk powder whisked in before starting. The milk powder is supposed to make creamier yogurt when using low-fat milk. I saw 3-4Tbs. in some recipes and decided to start with 2Tbs. for my yogurt project.

I heated the milk to 190 (193 in the center), using a candy thermometer clipped to the pan, and Thermapen to check the center. I had read that it is a good idea to keep the milk at that temperature for about 10 minutes, so I did so. I used a high heat spatula to stir, but I was pleased that the pan kept the milk from sticking. I removed from the heat to allow it to cool down to about 108F. I left in the thermometer, so that I could keep an eye on it, and I covered the top of the pan with a tea towel and set it on a rack on the counter. When I would make yogurt years ago, the towel seemed to help prevent a skin from forming over the top. Note: the amount of milk is about one jar full (not counting the neck of the jar. This yogurt maker’s six jars have screw on lids—a big advancement over the snap on plastic lids of the past that would eventually split and be impossible to replace. The yogurt maker itself is a simple rectangle under a plastic rectangular domed top.

After 30 minutes, the temperature was at 137F. I stirred it, replaced the towel. After another 30 minutes, the temperature was 110F. I put a cup of the milk into a 2-cup glass measuring cup. I whisked in 170g (about ¾ cup) full-fat Stoneyfield yogurt, then added this mixture back into the milk in the pot, whisked it, and divided it between the six containers. The jars are not overly full. I might increase the milk by 50 ml next time. The jars are now in the yogurt warmer. The directions say 4-6 hours. I’ll check at 5 hours.

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• This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by BakerAunt.

[RiversideLen]

I have a yogurt maker. I used it once. That thing is tucked away someplace now.

[BakerAunt]

I used to make my own yogurt all the time, beginning in the late 1980s. I went through two yogurt makers because I used them so frequently. I also have one packed away that makes a large quart container. I may pull it out and give it another go as well.

Yogurt was inexpensive for a while, and so was not worth my time to make it, but now that milk prices are relatively low, and I live in a rural area where it is hard to get what I consider healthy yogurt--i.e. no added sugar, no thickeners, live cultures, and low or nonfat--it makes sense to make my own. It will also cut down on the number of non-recyclable yogurt containers I have to throw away. I can only find uses for just so many of them, although a small string of Christmas lights packed nicely into a quart-sized Chobani yogurt container, and its clear lid makes it easy to find them in the decorations. We also used some of those containers when we were painting.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by BakerAunt.

[RiversideLen]

I usually buy Fage Greek style, 2%, plain. If I want something added to it, it's usually fresh fruit. Too my surprise I acquired a taste for plain yogurt because I found the sweetened one to be far too sweet.

[BakerAunt]

I checked the yogurt after five hours, and it didn't seem quite set, so I let it go another hour, and it seems fine. I've refrigerated it and will try it at breakfast tomorrow. I also had the yogurt maker sitting on the cold counter until the last hour. It occurred to me that it was likely losing some heat, so I put it on one of those fold up "dish mats," which I've never used for dishes but have used for containers of dough for either rising.

One of my gripes with a lot of store yogurt is the added thickeners--pectin, food starch. I dislike how it feels in my mouth. I prefer my yogurt slightly creamy, which is why I liked Stonyfield regular and Chobani Greek yogurt. (I saw plain nonfat Stonyfield Greek yogurt in Walmart, but it was over $6 per carton.) Greek yogurt is higher in protein but lower in calcium, so it's a trade-off. A good yogurt should taste good without additives. Sometimes I stir in some of my homemade jam. Lately I've been sprinkling a bit of my homemade maple granola on my Chobani Greek yogurt, so I'll try it with the homemade yogurt.

Each jar is about 200mg calcium and 2g saturated fat.

[BakerAunt]

I ate a jar of the yogurt at breakfast the next morning. It has a mild taste and a creamy texture. I am happy with the result and will make it again.

At some point, I will experiment with using Greek yogurt as the starter to see if a good nonfat Greek yogurt will also give me good results with less saturated fat.

[skeptic7]

Good luck with your yogurt. I hear Greek yogurt is made by straining some of the liquid out of regular yogurt, not with a different starter. However a particular brand of Greek yogurt might have a different started than your plain yogurt.
I used to make yogurt, eating some of it and then cooking with the rest. Now I make buttermilk for baking, and only buy yogurt occasionally. I used to mix museli with yogurt and let it soak overnight for breakfast. I always added extra honey before eating.

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