Yoghurt - best buys / homemade / uses

[TeresaFoodie]

Yoghurt is one of those things i have to have in my fridge otherwise I fidget!

Low fat where possible is good at the moment. I love the taste of low fat natural straight from the tub or on cereal. Normal fat/thick natural or Greek yoghurt for cooking. I'll eat any individual fruit yoghurt, hazelnut being a favourite. Ski used to be the one I'd go for, especially cherry, but not sure they still sell them? Recently I tried Skyr on a promotional food stand in Sainsbury's and have to say it was so delicious I would have filled my fridge right up if it wasn't so expensive. Gorgeous stuff!

I am tempted to try these low fat fruit yoghurts from Lidl when I next shop, mainly for cheapness. Has anyone tried them?

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/lidl-pri ... UrMMjM8EOA

On another thread someone mentioned homemade yoghurt. I have never done this so need to try, so any t&t methods would be appreciated please. Thanks!

Also, your favourite uses please? Recently I marinated chicken to be baked with rice and then served herby yoghurt with the finished dish. Lovely. I have also in the past used it to marinate lamb with spices for kebabs. They always went down well. It tenderises doesn't it?

[Hope]

Some of the cheaper low fat yogurts are packed with lots of additives and loads of sugar, so check the ingredients. I prefer getting greek style and adding my own fruit.

I keep meaning to make my own yogurt, it looks simple enough, just haven't got around to it!

[Busybee]

I have made my own yoghurt but found it wasn’t any cheaper than buying a large carton of natural yogurt in the supermarket. I have tried that brand Tezza, it wasn’t to my taste, rather too sweet and synthetic. I don’t tend to buy individual pots but 1kg tubs of natural zero fat Greek style.

BB

[liketocook]

I like the Tesco own brand Greek style yoghurt, at 85p for 500g it's reasonably priced as well. I tend to use it as a marinade, in place of buttermilk or as a salad dressing.

[StokeySue]

I very seldom buy flavoured yogurts, though I occasionally fall for the Activia pack that includes fig

I always have a pot of plain yogurt in the fridge usually Desi brand, which is very thick and creamy

I eat on it's own or with jam or honey as a snack or dessert. I use it for marinades, dips, sauces and dressings and in curries.

I used to make my own and keep meaning to start again, if only to reduce my use of disposable plastic

[KC2]

On another thread someone mentioned homemade yoghurt. I have never done this so need to try, so any t&t methods would be appreciated please. Thanks!

Back in the day (the 70s!) I used to make yogurt in a thermos flask! A spoon of yogurt and hot, not boiling milk, left overnight! That was before I knew anything about yogurt makers and when I think all yogurt may have been "live" - or maybe not? I don't remember having to get special live yogurt to use.

[StokeySue]

I have been looking for an insulated or vacuum jar for making yogurt
All you need to do is heat milk (preferably UHT) to body temoerature, rinse out jar or flask with hot water to take the chill off, add milk and a spoonful of live yogurt. As far as I know most plain yogurts sold refrigerated are live, so pick one you like

Any recommendations for a jar? I bought a cheap one when the stainless steel ones first came out and it was so useless I concluded that making a vacuum flask out of a heat conducting material such as steel was a really stupid idea. But the main brands, Thermos and Stanley, seem to get good reviews though expensive - thoughts?

[KC2]

As far as I know most plain yogurts sold refrigerated are live

That's interesting - I had no idea!

[Ratatouille]

I don't like yogurt but I do use it in cooking and some desserts. I have a very old electric yogurt maker which makes 9 glass jars at a time. I use full fat bio UHT milk, which is very cheap here and I keep the last jar to start then next batch. As Mr R has a jar every evening and sometimes one for breakfast too so it works out very inexpensively. I usually flavour with a spoonful of frtuit compote, jar or honey and somethimes add nuts or dried fruit and berries in the summer.

Lakeland have a wide selection of yogurt makers, in fact I have an easy yo in the cellar which they sent me to try - you don't need to buy th sachets any live yogurt will do as a starter.
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/search/yogurt%2Bmakers
If anyone want it - not the electric one - I'll send it.

[earthmaiden]

We always made our yogurt in my wholefood restaurant days. We used an ordinary thermos flask and yogurt from Sainsburys as a starter if we didn't have any left. We used Greek yogurt from preference.

I would have thought that a wide necked Thermos style flask would be ideal, easier to scape out every last drop than one designed for drinks.

Edited to say that as for uses, it can be used as a marinade for meats, as an alternative cake ingredient and I am going to try it this week in a Slimming World recipe for oat pancakes/waffles.

A relative used this as a basic cake recipe for years, additions such as fruit, chocolate, cherries, spices can be added to ring the changes. Sorry it's in cups - I think they're Australian ones but that she used a decent sized teacup!

1 cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
1 cup Sunflower oil
1 cup castor sugar
2 beaten eggs
3 cups SR flour

Preheat oven 180C, 350F, Gas 4. Line 8" cake tin with baking parchment.
Beat the yogurt, oil and sugar until thorooughly mixed with no oil residue.
Beat in the eggs, add desired flavouring.
Add the flour gradually.
Pour into the lined tin and cook 1 hour. Test with skewer and remove from oven when skewer clean.
leave in tin for 10 mins before turning out onto rack to cool.

[StokeySue]

As far as I know most plain yogurts sold refrigerated are live

That's interesting - I had no idea!

When you think about it, even in dairies they make yogurt by adding bacteria to milk and keeping it warm
Once the yogurt is made, all they do to stop the fermentation is to chill it, so the bacteria are still there, just dozing

There are long life yourts that are treated to be long life, so not live

I was looking for a specific recommendation for a jar having had a disaster already, and I wondered about easy-yo, as they are about 1/3 the price of the Stanley vacuum jar that came out top in my internet search

[Busybee]

Actually Sue that’s a good point re reducing disposable plastic. Maybe I should start making it again. When I did make it I was having milk delivered to the doorstep at circa 80p per pint so it was uneconomical to make it myself.

Now I do not have doorstep deliveries my milk comes from the supermarket at 37.5p per pint it makes financial sense.

BB

[KC2]

As far as I know most plain yogurts sold refrigerated are live

That's interesting - I had no idea!

When you think about it, even in dairies they make yogurt by adding bacteria to milk and keeping it warm
Once the yogurt is made, all they do to stop the fermentation is to chill it, so the bacteria are still there, just dozing

There are long life yogurts that are treated to be long life, so not live

In that case, it would seem that there's no point in paying more for a yogurt that is advertised as "live" - just another marketing ploy.

Obviously if it's organic or whatever, then there is something that differentiates it from the rest. We've been eating a lot of Yeo Valley "Proper Organic Bio Live Yogurt" which clearly does have a distinctive selling point and is worth paying for - although we can usually get it on a 2 for £2 offer at one or other of the supermarkets. We're very partial to the 0% fat Vanilla flavour

[Herbidacious]

I really like those very creamy West Country Yoghurts - especially the lemon one - which various supermarkets seem to sell. Only have as a treat though.

Also the extra creamy, golden-coloured Turkish yoghurt with a crust from Turkish supermarkets.

I used to make the EasyYo stuff...

[Catherine]

I buy those Milbona yoghurts Tezza, as does my sister. we all like them, especially the pear one

[KC2]

Also the extra creamy, golden-coloured Turkish yoghurt with a crust from Turkish supermarkets.

They sound delicious. I wonder if our shops on North End Road sell them, although they're not Turkish shops - can you see what they are from the packing?

[EmWilk]

I'm not a big yoghurt fan really, as eating for a snack/dessert. It's the texture... neither chewable nor drinkable! I'm the same with some soups. I can just about deal with Greek yoghurt.

Anyway, my point was, I tried giving the Muller lights a go when I started slimming world but find they taste artificial somehow. Must be the sweetener and flavourings. I tried the Danone Light n Free Greek style in a last attempt and they are fab! Miles better. Really thick and creamy so I've had a few.

Once I have lost some more weight, I plan to start reintroducing non low fat/fat free options of foods in a more sensible way (plus nuts, seeds, avocado, healthy oils, etc) and might even start enjoying Greek yoghurt occasionally!

[Catherine]

, Thermos and Stanley, seem to get good reviews though expensive - thoughts?

The Stanley flasks are great. I've had mine for several years and bought it is TK Maxx for considerably less money than the high street shops

[StokeySue]

Thanks Catherine, I'll have a look in the discount stores

[TeresaFoodie]

If anyone want it - not the electric one - I'll send it.

I would be happy to make use of it in exchange for postage or something 'local'.

I think I know what is meant by the synthetic taste to some yoghurts. I think I may try the Lidl multi pack at least once to see how i get on with it. They do in their Deluxe range layered yoghurt with fruit puree. Last week i tried passion fruit and raspberry and it was to die for, and then I read the calories and fat content. I decided that was why it tasted so good!

I notice nobody has mentioned Skyr.....

[StokeySue]

I quite like Skyr, but as I said on another thread it's confusingly made by a firm (Arla) set up to support the British dairy industry but made in Germany, and from my point of view the main problem is that it's no use for the cooking I do with ordinary yogurt, texture is wrong.

[Badger's mate]

Proper Skyr is really lovely. I remember in Iceland the commonest flavourings were bilberries harvested from the hillsides and peaches harvested from the geothermally heated greenhouses.

My IP is supposed to have a yogurt function. Mrs B has suggested I ought to make some but haven't got a round tuit. There is an old, unopened pack of rennet in the cupboard for a similar reason...

[northleedsbhoy]

Best thing to do with yogurt is to bin it, although it's ok in a curry where I can't taste it

Cheers
NLB

[Zosherooney]

I am currently enjoying the Greek Y. that Lidl are selling, it is quite thick, we had some with our mutton curry last night, it enriched the dish and gave it a nice creaminess. A few years back, Lidls were selling a lovely Turkish Y. that was divine. It only lasted the Summer and now they can't get it. I would like to try the 'crusted' stuff.....if I could get my hands on some.

[TeresaFoodie]

I'll have a look at the Lidl Greek yoghurt later on and I might give the flavoured cheap ones a miss. I like have a large tub of natural yoghurt to dip into over a couple of days when I get a sweet attack. I know it isn't sweet but it feels like a treat. And obviously it can be added to sweet things! I like it with banana or berries, and a dollop on a Mr Kipling style fruit or mince pie.

Regarding Skyr - I notice when they were offering free samples with a 25p money off voucher in Sainsbury's, they were priced at around £1 a tub, but much cheaper in Lidl which made me wonder if it was the exact same product? Does anyone know?

[PatsyMFagan]

My IP is supposed to have a yogurt function. Mrs B has suggested I ought to make some but haven't got a round tuit. There is an old, unopened pack of rennet in the cupboard for a similar reason...

If you have the Instant Pot with yogurt function, then it is apparently, very easy and makes delicious yogurt. There is a facebook group for those with Instant Pots and plenty of the members rave about the yogurt. There are least another 3 of us on here who have an IP, but they may, like me, not have the yogurt function (this seems to be a recent addition )

[Zosherooney]

Looking at the pot of Lidls yogurt I used last night on the curry, it was the low fat version. On looking in the fridge at the one I bought yesterday it was the full fat version. We opened it to try on the Jamaican Chocolate cake I made today and Boy! is it good ! Very thick and very creamy, It suits our palate. At £1.39 it is very good value and lasts a long time. I am going to make a cucumber raita tomorrow. I also have some chilli, garlic and ginger dipping sauce so we will have some of those for lunch with some HM chapatis.

[TeresaFoodie]

You've sold the full fat Greek to me Zosh. I've added that to my shopping list for tomorrow. I will try it on my Valentine's day lunch tomorrow on pancakes with fruit. I'll let you know how i get on with it.

[Ratatouille]

The Daily Mail are at it again - almost factual??

It still won't encourage me to eat any except in something else. Mind Mr R has at least one a day and hasn't had a heart attack. He doesn;t have high blood pressure either.

[Zosherooney]

My latest discovery at Lidls is a new line of yoghurt by Milbona 500g pot of creamy authentic Greek stuff. It is very good, thick and creamy very like Total but without the cost ! Last year Lidls were selling Turkish yoghurt and it was to die for, it's not around this year and any attempts to ask the staff, and they say they have no control over what comes in or indeed what they might be expecting.

Enjoy !

[TeresaFoodie]

I've made a mental note of Milbona.

My nearest supermarket is now Aldi, so I will be checking out their yoghurts, amongst other items, tomorrow. I will report back on yogs here. I'll still be sticking to Greek style but not the large pots of natural. This time some kind of fruit compote will feature. I am quite partial to the Danone ones but they're one of the pricier ones. Super yummy though!

[earthmaiden]

Is it low fat Zosh?

[Zosherooney]

Mine is not EM but I think they do a version of low fat in the same brand. If you try it, let us know.

Tezza, I made a pan full of donut peach and ginger compote, it goes well with the yog. for brekkie,

[earthmaiden]

Thanks. I have to be careful in Lidl or I come out with fattening treats and nothing useful!

[patpoyntz]

I haven’t tried the low fat version, though I have seen it in our Lidl. The full fat version is really good, so thick, creamy and unsour tasting I can use it instead of cream....nicer than creme fraiche IMO!

[TeresaFoodie]

Tezza, I made a pan full of donut peach and ginger compote, it goes well with the yog. for brekkie,

Yum!

(adds ginger to today's shopping list....)