Raw Yoghurt (was Re: Digest Number 1870)

[Guest guest]

--- In , Idol <Idol@c...>

wrote:

> -

>

> >Has _anybody_ ever successfully made a raw yoghurt?

>

> Many, many times.

>

> >It was

> >my understanding that the denaturing of the milk protein by

> >heat prior to fermentation was necessary for it to properly

> >form a curd.

>

> Simply not true.

So how do you do it then, and are we really talking about

yoghurt here? Raw milk can certainly be clabbered by the

same lactic bacteria used for yoghurt, but I wouldn't call

clabber " yoghurt " . Does your product hold all of its whey

in suspension until cut? Does a hole left in it after some

is scooped out with a spoon still have sharp edges when you

return to it an hour later? If so, please do detail the

method you use.

[Guest guest]

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>Does your product hold all of its whey

>in suspension until cut? Does a hole left in it after some

>is scooped out with a spoon still have sharp edges when you

>return to it an hour later?

Yes.

>If so, please do detail the

>method you use.

It only works when the milk and cream are incredibly fresh. I have to make

the yoghurt the day I get the milk and cream from the farm. But other than

that, it's standard procedure minus the initial heating. I dump the

packet(s) of starter on the half and half mix of cream and milk, I let it

soften, I thoroughly mix it, I put the container in the Yogourmet, and 24

hours later (8-9 times out of 10 assuming I didn't wait too long) I have

bona fide yoghurt.

However, since the process is so dependent on freshness, I expect there's a

lot of variability from farm to farm based on how clean different farms

dairy operations are and how long the milk and cream wait before getting

into consumers' hands. Maybe I just lucked out with an extra-speedy and

extra-clean dairy farm.

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