# Yogurt Didn't Set Up



## MF-Alpines

I warmed my milk to about 115, added the Oikos as recommended by Tim in that other thread. It's been 12 hours and it hasn't set up.

This is only my second time making yogurt and it is my second failure. The first time I used a culture from www.cheesemaking.com. Any ideas why I've failed this time?


----------



## hsmomof4

What did you do with it in the 12 hours? It needs to be kept at temperature the entire time, and undisturbed (ie, don't be moving it around). I also find that at lower temps, it can take longer to set up, and that if it is still on the thin side (but thicker than milk) it will thicken up more when you cool it.


----------



## linuxboy

> and undisturbed


It's quite possible to make a stirred yogurt. Texture will be different, of course, but should still set.

Did you temper the yogurt with the milk before adding it in? Meaning, take it and blend with the milk so there are no yogurt pieces, and stir together well to incorporate? Then as Stacey said, keep at a constant temp of 105-110F?


----------



## feistymomma

I used the OIkos brand as my starter as well and used my yogurt maker and couldn't get it to set up either. I have started using freeze dried yogurt cultures that I have had better success with.


----------



## MF-Alpines

I used a Yogotherm container.


----------



## linuxboy

Then if everything mixed in well, the cultures might be dead. It's not unusual for yogurt to provide no probiotic benefit. Depends on the handling. I have looked at studies that have examined off the shelf yogurt, finding much of the time little viability in the culture. Is the expiration date on it far out?


----------



## MF-Alpines

I don't know what the expiration date was; I threw out the container. But it was just bought.

So Pav, people are buying all this yogurt from the store, expecting it to have a benefit, and in reality, it may or may not?


----------



## hsmomof4

Just bought doesn't necessarily mean that the expiration date is all the fabulous, unfortunately. Always check them at the store and get the furthest out one you can find.


----------



## linuxboy

> So Pav, people are buying all this yogurt from the store, expecting it to have a benefit, and in reality, it may or may not?


Yep, dead on. Not only that, but taking probiotics in common yogurt forms does not necessarily correlate with any specific improvements in health conditions. My guess is because much of the time, yogurt is made with a few strains. Yogurt is big money. There's been huge growth in pro and pre biotics over the past 4 years.

Another funny thing is that even for plain yogurt, almost all brands have so many stabilizers that you expect to eat dairy, and it winds up having tons of carbs. It's too bad, would not be hard to make more honest food.


----------



## nightskyfarm

If your are looking for Greek style yogurt just make it with a culture you start at home and drain the set like you would Chevre.


----------



## fmg

My most favorite Greek yogurt is Greek Gods brand, and I only like the honey flavor...the others aren't so good. I will have to look at the label and see what all is in the ingredients...I have looked before and I feel like they didn't add all that guar gum and whatnot that's in some of the others. Wonder if its bacteria are still alive? Might have to experiment. 

So Greek yogurt is just a yogurt that has been drained? What is yogurt cheese?


----------



## MF-Alpines

I like regular yogurt; not too keen on the Greek thing.

I'll try again using one of the culture packets from Ricki's.


----------



## buckrun

> taking probiotics in common yogurt forms does not necessarily correlate with any specific improvements in health conditions


Whew...thank you for saying that out loud :biggrin

And most store yogurts would be thin with out all the thickeners.
What a lovely thing a perfect set is with just the culture doing it 

Good luck Cindy- try the Bulgarian culture. It is wonderful and can be drained or not.
It also can be used as a mother culture. I put one half cup into one qt 86 degree milk for 24 hours.
This slower start and longer culture time makes a fantastic product. I just put it up high in my kitchen- we have very high ceilings and beams and they are perfect little culture roosts  It actually has not proven to be so temp specific unless you are in a big hurry and can't wait for nature to take it's course. The culture will SURVIVE the elevated start temps recommended but that does not mean it has to have them. As long as you have no competing bacteria you can use a cooler longer culturing time.

Remember they are giving you instructions for this fast paced- give it to me now world.
In the past yogurt was made at ambient temps and it was not made in 4 hours. The longer you can give the culture to multiply and digest the milk fractions the nicer the product. More flavor- more set. More live bacteria.
I got banned from a cheese group for advocating outside the mfg instructions but how do you learn anything if you always follow instructions? :shrug

Lee


----------



## tlcnubians

I love, love, love the Greek Gods Honey Vanilla yogurt. I have a tub of it here at work and add a couple tablespoonfuls to my oatmeal every morning. Ingredients: cultured Grade A milk, sugar, vanilla, honey powder, whey and pectin.


----------



## fmg

It is so good, Caroline! I don't really care for any of the other Greek yogurts I've found, but this stuff tastes like cream! LOL. I think the one I've bought might be slightly different, because I don't remember the vanilla, and I could swear it did have cream in it. I am going to buy some today, if the store has any...they are often out of that flavor. I see, they are using pectin to thicken it then, and haha, they cheat with sugar and just put a bit of honey in, ah well.


----------



## Bella Star

I tried the OIkos brand and it didnt work for me either ,however I added 1/4c. dried powdered milk mixed with the milk and then added the Oikos and it worked then.


----------



## todog

My granddaughter and I made two batches this weekend. The first batch didn't set up. The second one however was perfect. I only us dannon plain yogurt as my starter. I use either unflavored gelatin or pectin as a thickener. The first batch failed because of the heat levels were not maintained. The second one I put in a cooler with hot water and set it on the enclosed porch that is not airconditioned. Mix in some strawberry freezer jam and I am a happy girl.


----------



## Rose

If you have good culture/starters, there's no need to add gelatin or other thickeners.


----------



## todog

I can't always afford to buy culture, but always have pectin on hand since I can everything from fruits to meats. I always hated it when I would hear seniors talk about being on a fixed income, it made me sad. Now I live it. 486.00 a month doesn't go far but I like the challenge of finding a way to stretch it and not sacrifice quality. That includes cultures. Dannon isn't always the best but its everywhere and I don't have to wait for it.


----------



## Rose

Dannon has been very successful for me. It REALLY helps to heat the milk to 180 and then cool to 115 and then culture. The protein chains alter and the yogurt sets better.


----------



## clishmaclaver

So, for those of you who add pectin to your yogurt, would you mind sharing how much you would use and when you add it? Have been making yogurt for quite awhile now, but my teen daughter won't eat it because it's not as thick as storebought :nooo

Thanks!


----------



## todog

Pectin will not thicken it enough for her then. Unflavored jellatin works the best for this. I only use pectin in some because one of my adult daughters won't eat it with jelatin in it (and I am not a good liar) . Again I use 1 tbsp. Of pectin per quart. You may try 2 tbsp. And see if that thickens it enough.


----------



## Tim Pruitt

The oikos brand still works for me. My yogurt comes out so creamy and thick I can literally hold the container upside down and the yogurt stays in the container. The only thing I add is 4 packets of stevia per quart and sometime some vanilla flavor. You might be adding enough culture or you culture is out of date and is dead. 
Use either fresh milk or heat until 165 degrees and let cool down to 110-115 and add your culture. Keep temp constant at around 115 for 8-12 hours.


----------



## clishmaclaver

Thanks Tim,
I too use the oikos, and got the results you describe exactly once. Have never been able to replicate.
No idea why... Have even gone so far as to send samples of my milk off to see if there is something subclinical going on. Nada.

How much oikos are you adding per quart? 

Have not tried the pectin or gelatin yet. We're still slurpin away :biggrin

Thanks all!


----------



## Tim Pruitt

Try about 1/8-1/4 cup to a quart of milk and stir - be gentle but thorough.


----------

