Customer Reviews

Yogourmet Multi Electric Yogurt Maker with Yogurt and CBA Starter

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I wanted a yogurt maker for making non-dairy coconut yogurt. This one is a winner--- I like that it is not indiviual cups because after the yogurt is made I can add sweetness to the whole batch---- then I put all the yogurt in canning jars. No need to get a second storage container unless you are going to make two quarts continuously. I also like the water bath system-- even heat.

I have owned numerous yogurt makers over the years, and this one is by far the best. It makes up to two quarts of yogurt in about four hours. I make my yogurt with non-fat milk, and then strain it in the muslin bag that comes with the yogurt maker. This yields a delicious and creamy Greek-style yogurt for less than half the price you'd pay for it in the supermarket. I like being able to make yogurt in a single large container, rather than in individual serving containers. Overall, it's a great yogurt maker that produces consistent results every time.

I'm Loving this Yogurt Maker! Having no timer and a large batch container is perfect for making 24 hour SCD Yogurt. SCD is the "Specific Carbohydrate Diet". A diet for people with colon issues (and autism).

Here is a link to the book for this diet Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet I'm new to this diet (2.5 months) but very excited as it has helped me alot!

For years I couldn't tolerate milk products but now I'm eating 2 cups of Yogurt per day! I'm using yogurt to make homemade ranch dressing, dessert toppings, in baking etc.. I even ordered a second batch container to keep up!

YOGOURMET Too HOT?...NO PROBLEM...If it gets too hot to go 24 hrs, you have two easy options: After abt 6 hours when the center has reached 100 deg simply remove the outer lid for the remaining time. OR purchase a lamp cord with dimmer switch to regulate the power. Thermometers can be off so it's good to have a couple to see if they agree. I had one 15 deg off.

If you're on the SCDiet, ignore the Yogourmet instructions and follow the SCD recipe. If not on the SCD & you have no colon nor lactose issues then the Yogourmet instructions are fine.

SCD 24 HR YOGURT MAKING TIPS to help those on the SCDiet:

FLAVOR & TEXTURE: The richer the milk (more fat), the less tart and thicker the yogurt will be. Make sure your milk or cream has no additives such as carrageenan, gumS, dextrose, etc. I prefer Whole Cows Milk. Goat yogurt is more runny and tart but works well in homemade ranch dressing. Using cream makes for a rich thick yogurt that's good for whipped toppings etc..

FREEZE DRIED YOGURT STARTERS: SCD allowed starters may contain Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Streptococcus Thermophilus, and Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. It must NOT contain Bifidus/Bifidum, gums, sugars, nor additives. Yogourmet's Freeze-dried Yogurt Starter is allowed BUT their Probiotic Starter with bifidus is NOT Allowed.

COMMERCIAL YOGURT STARTERS: one that's SCD allowed is Dannon Natural Plain regular fat yogurt. Use 1/4 c per quart of milk. Don't eat it, just use it as a starter, it still has lactose in it at this point. Don't buy the lowfat versions, they have pectin.

MAKING SCD YOGURT: it's best to sterilize all bowls & utensils

1) Follow the yogurt machine instructions for water fill & plug in.

2) Heat 1-2 quarts of milk over medium heat to 180 deg F. (I prefer a double boiler). This will kill unwanted bacteria. Stir often. Cows milk can tolerate higher temps but goat milk is delicate and should not be heated above 185 deg F.

3) Pour into glass bowl or jars and allow to cool to 77 deg F. (book says 77 but website says 108) lower temps provide less shock to the cultures I'm introducing. Stir before reading temp. Cover with a clean tea towel while it cools on the counter OR u can allow to sit 15 min then place in a cool water bath. Don't allow water to overflow into the jars.

4) Optional; For smoother yogurt, pour milk through a sieve to remove the film that forms on top. (So far I haven't had to do this).

5) If using freeze-dried Yogourmet starter, mix it with 1/4 cup of the cooled milk until dissolved. Add 1/2 c more milk & mix again. Pour back into the main container & mix again.

If using commercial yogurt starter (Dannon Natural Plain, 1/4 cup / quart of milk), mix it with 1 cup of the cooled milk then mix back into main container.

6) Place in Yogourmet & ferment at 100-110 deg for 24 hrs minimum & up to 30 hrs

7.) Gently place the container into the fridge and allow to cool abt 8 hrs.

8.) U can GENTLY stir the yogurt with a whisk to make it more smooth.

The Yogurt should keep 2-3 weeks if handled properly & kept in a cold fridge. Too much stirring can make it runny so I add my honey, vanilla & fruit just before I eat it rather than to the whole container.

STATED BENEFITS OF SCD 24 Hr Yogurt: -Repopulates the gut with good bacteria. -It's very nutritious. -Longer fermentation means the lactose is broken down into simpler forms & we will absorb instead of feeding the bad bacteria. -It's a low cost source of probiotics & has a concentration of 3 billion cfu/ml, 1 cup of Yogurt = 708 Billion beneficial bacteria. -24hr yogurt has a higher probiotic count than commercial yogurt because it is fermented longer. -The bacteria are fresh and in the environment they grew in. -Many people who are lactose intolerant are able to tolerate SCD 24 hr yogurt.

We ordered this one because we wanted to make a larger batch. The first two or three times we weren't totally satisfied - once we had a tub full of stinky mess. But if we use fresh starter (only a couple of tablespoons needed) and carefully sterilize the milk it comes out great. The incubation time isn't that sensitive, but if you don't heat the milk to 180 you may get slime.

A while back I decided that what I was being charged for yogurt at the store was too much. Decided to make my own using the 'Yogourmet' method. Worked so well I purchased another Yogourmet kit. Now you might think I'm crazy but if you're going to put aside time to make yogurt ( with one kit you can make 1/2 gal batch at a time ) and you have everything set up, why not make two batches?

My method: With the Yogourmet system I use a double boiler that can hold 1/2 gal of milk to begin with. Because we drink nothing but non-fat milk in our house ( which by itself makes a thin tasting, sometimes watery yogurt ) I add either 1 cup of half and half or some dried milk ( about a cup ) to the mix for body. And to help in the firming-up process I add a pack of powdered gelatin to the COLD mix. I simply heat this batch to 180 degrees checking it with the thermometer that comes with the kit, stirring constantly. Once at 180 I'll place the double boiler with the batch in another pot with cold water and lots of ice and stir it until it comes down to 105. I then pour the mix into the Yogourmet container, stir in two packs of the Yogourmet starter ( note there are two different types of starter: one type needs more cooling of the mix before the starter can be added because this yields the 'healthier' yogurt but I can't tell the difference in taste or health- investigate this for yourself ) and stir briskly so it blends well.

Final phase: Snap on the lid to the mix container, add a little warm water to the 'cooker', gently place the yogurt mix container inside, put on the top and plug it in. Let it cook for 5 hours ( at least ), place the yogurt in the frig to cool and firm up ( over-night is best ). When you open the container the next morning and see you've got a half gallon ( I'm using two kits so I have a whole gallon! ) of nice, firm, Dannon-type yogurt you will smile! Dip that spoon in, watch it peel away in a smooth clump and eat it as is or do as we do and add some sugar-free jelly or jam and you'll have a dessert that will compete nicely with ice-cream any day at a fraction of the cost and calories.

Although it might sound like a bit of a chore, once you get the hang of it it's actually fun- not to mention 'cost effective'. If you like yogurt, the Yogourmet kit and starter ingedients are excellent products.

I love this yogurt maker!! I use the Yogourmet starters too and I have consistently made perfect yogurt in this yogurt maker. They claim you can't make yogurt out of lactaid milk but I have made perfect yogurt with lactaid milk over and over. Thanks to this yogurt maker, I can eat yogurt now where I never could before because of my dairy allergy. It's fun trying to decide what kind to make next! and it's so easy!

I've tried a few different ways to make the yogurt & have liked it all! Mine doesn't get hot to the touch as some have said. In fact I let it run 5-6 hrs. to make it thicker. So far I liked the 1 qt whole milk, 1 qt half & half, 1 packet gelatin. It was super creamy & thick but also high fat. The 2% with gelatin & dry milk is good too. Hubby loves it with our homemade museli & milk & our kids like to add maple syrup. Interesting. It does take some prep time but not much. Using a double boiler to heat milk & let it cool stirring occasionally. Check temps with my digital thermometer. Going to order the extra container soon & try the cheese too.

I bought this yogurt maker because I was starting the SCD Diet.
In the SCD Diet you must ferment the yogurt for 24 hours instead of the usual 8 to 16 hours most people who can tolerate lactose do.
So you can imagine my disappointment when following the instructions in the manual yielded 70% yellow water and 30% yogurt floating on top.
I tried again using the instructions on the back of the box instead, only to have the same exact thing happen again 24 hours later.
At this point I contacted the manufacturer .
They asked many questions, and after a few hours they sent an email explaining that the Probiodic starter that came with this yogurt maker will not work with this yogurt maker.
I needed to purchase one of there other yogurt starters instead, if I wanted my yogurt to come out right.
They did not offer to replace the yogurt starter or anything.

What I ended up doing was using an all natural plain yogurt I purchased at a fresh & Easy grocery store as my starter.
Now my yogurt is thick and creamy.
Another yogurt that works well as a starter is Dannon all natural plain yogurt (Not fat free)
You need to make sure the plain yogurt you use as a starter contains Live active cultures,no additives and no flavors such as sugar.
Once I figured this out the yogurt maker turned out to work wonderfully.

I received the yogurt maker last week and have made 2 batches so far. Both came out perfect. I did add some powdered milk to thicken the yogurt and I strained it to create a thicker Greek-style yogurt. I had been buying Greek yogurt and it is rather expensive, $1.25 for 4 ounces. The homemade yogurt has a nicer flavor, not quite as tart and I like knowing exactly what is in it. My daughter is very picky and likes things very sweet, she thought the plain homemade yogurt tasted good with very little sweetening. I give my dog a tablespoon of plain yogurt every day and she seems to like this better as well (she was having "digestive disturbances" and this seems to solve that). I flavor mine with either a little honey or strawberry preserves. I also enjoy being able to control the sweetness, store bought yogurt always seems a little too sweet to me. I am very happy with this purchase, if you are considering getting it, don't let the negative reviews dissuade you, it really is easy to make, just be sure to follow the instructions on the temperature of the milk.

Very simple to use and clean. Makes up-to half of a gallon of fresh yogurt. Timer would be a good addition, but if you have stove or microwave with timer this device is perfect