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• Posted by victoriacastillo (Paranaque)
  On 5/7/2013 10:40 AM

Thanks ShiningLight! :-q I haven't seen that Live Yogurt brand yet when I went to the supermart a few days ago, but I'll keep my eyes peeled!

My friend gave me some live cultures from a batch that they consistently revive at home, but they were really stringy (almost the consistency of bad phlegm...sorry), and so my yogurt turned out that way (this batch lived). Would you happen to know what causes this stringyness? And is there a way for me to salvage it? Maybe straining the cultures first in cheesecloth?

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• Posted by ShiningLight (Quezon City)
  On 5/7/2013 10:40 AM

Hi victoriacastillo! There is a new yoghurt brand that just came out -- Live Yoghurt. They make non- fat and low-fat and flavored yoghurt. Cst is P 16 pesos per little container.

Re home made yoghurt, equal parts hot and tap water is indeed too hot for live bacteria to grow.. Cool it a bit before mixing in the yoghurt. :-) it must be bearable to touch using little finger.

I also tried also heating liquid skim milk .. Again, if it is too hot, stir it to cool down to lukewarm.

Good luck!

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• Posted by victoriacastillo (Paranaque)
  On 5/7/2013 10:40 AM

Thanks, ShiningLight! I tried to make my own yogurt, but my milk was too hot, so I ended up killing the cultures.

Usually, the 0% fat brands of yogurt available in the market are imported, or as Nestlé has them now, flavored with fruit. If the cost is too high for you, at worst, you can opt for the plain creamy yogurt if you can't make your own, as ShiningLight suggested.

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• Posted by ShiningLight (Quezon City)
  On 5/7/2013 10:40 AM

It was hard to find non- fat yoghurt. What is available is Creamy Yoghurt, where milkfat has been added to skimmed milk! The others are too expensive.

Thus, I made my own yoghurt using powdered low fat milk (shape-up) and on small container of creamy yoghurt with Active live bacteria. Google recipes in internet. There are several. Choose the one by the Indian lady. Very simple. But here is my sister's version.

To make 6 cups lukewarm water, boil 3 cups and add 3 cups room temp water, but check with your little finger if lukewarm. Recipes say bet 100-110 F, but I don't have a thermometer. Dissolve 2 cups powdered milk and mix well.

Put yoghurt into a small bowl and add some of the milk and stir to blend. Add the mixture into the lukewarm milk.
Pour into a half gallon container ( recycled icecream) . Wrap in several sheets of newspaper or cloth. Let stand for 5-6 hours undisturbed. Check if yoghurt has set. Put in the refrigerator.

According to the source in the internet, if it stands longer than 5-6 hours, it will become more sour. if the milk is too cold, it will not set, if too hot, it will be runny. It must be lukewarm.

Good luck!

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• Posted by laarni (Calamba)
  On 5/7/2013 10:40 AM

Yes, you may. :-q