Yogourmet yogurt maker

[Penny4Them]

Hiya Mamas!

Dh delighted me with a yogourmet yogurt maker for Christmas. I've just started using it and love the taste. I'm not sure if I'd doing it the most healthfully and wanted to ask advice.

Machine instructions says to cook in machine for like 5 hours, but I remember reading somewhere that it needs to be more like 24 hours to fully ferment. Is that right?

If I freeze yogurt, will the good bacteria die?

and my last question, I've been straining it as my baby loves thicker yoggy. What should I do with the whey ... add it back in to yogurt? I know whey is superfood, but what should I put it in? If it's cooked, does it loose it's good stuff?

Thanks for your ideas and advice.

[WorldsBestMom]

I have done a few experiments with making yogurt sometime a go it was fun but I didn't use a machine. I have heard though where freezing yogurt does kill the good bacteria. It may be true after all yogurt is a really healthy food.

[Llyra]

I make yogurt in a yogurt maker. You're right-- the machines recommend about five hours, but that's not enough to get a really firm yogurt, nor will all the lactose be digested. I've done it for up to 30 hours in the past, with really good results. The yogurt will get firmer, and more tart, the longer you incubate it. If it's too tart, using a higher-fat milk can help a lot-- or add some extra cream to the milk you have, before you start.

As for the whey-- I put it in a saucer for the cats... You can also stir it back in, but we like a thick, firm yogurt here, and too much stirring thins yogurt. But if I'm using the yogurt for a smoothie or something, or in baked recipe, I leave the liquid in.

I'm pretty sure the freezer will just send the cultures inactive-- they may "wake up" again if you defrost within a short period of time, but will die if left in the freezer a long time. But I don't know for sure-- I'm speculating.

[Penny4Them]

Thanks Lovlies! Llyra, oooh, please give me some ideas of what I baked recies call for yougurt. I hadn't heard of that before. Sounds like yum-potential!