John's Yogurt Making #4 - Yogurt Machine Method W/O Pre-Cooking Milk & No Lid

[Cheese Head]

This batch using new Salton Brand Model YM-9 Electric Yogurt Making Machine and standard yogurt recipe but without pre-cooking milk as using already pasteurized milk and no tight lid like batch #3:

RECORDS

• Jan 3, 2008, 11:50AM: Plugged in machine to pre-heat. Dumped 2 fluid ounces of nonfat cow's milk powder as thickener into clear plastic container machine came with, added 1/2 cup Dannon unflavoured plain active yogurt, filled with store bought 1% pasteurized homogenized cow's milk from jug to 1 litre total. Stirred with spoon to dissolve milk powder and distribute yogurt, placed in wall type microwave.
• Jan 3, 2008, 11:55AM: Zapped for 2 minutes, stirred with thermometer and measured 101 F/38 C, little low. Placed container in machine, did not put machine's lid on container, did place cover on machine, set dial to 12 as reminder when made yogurt and left to bake.
• Jan 3, 2008, 2:30PM: Measured temperature at 107 F/42 C, good, even without internal lid.
• Jan 3, 2008, 6:50PM: Measured temperature at 115 F/47 C, good, lots of condensation on cover, had to pour off water, dribbled down sides, messy, lid better, unplugged machine.
• Jan 3, 2008, 9:00PM: Yogurt cooled down, put cover on container and placed in fridge.
• Jan 4, 2008, 9:00PM: Checked consistency after overnight in fridge, good, not great.

NOTES

• Temp after microwave was little low, maybe milk from fridge was colder? Next batch zap for 2 min 22 seconds.
• Need lid on yogurt container to avoid getting condensation on machine cover and dribble down sides of machine.

[Tea]

HI John that yoghurt looks good.  Were you happy with the final result?

I bought some natural yoghurt from the company that I purchase my milk from, and I am hoping to get some yoghurt made today using that.  Just want to see what the difference, if any, is between the culture and the yoghurt.
Will keep you posted.

[Cheese Head]

Tea, thanks, tastes great but a lttle too runny for me.

My next batch I'm going to add the cooking (pasteurizing) phase back in first like my batch #2, even though I'm using pasteurized store bought milk and see if that makes it thicker. If not then I'll try using 2% then whole milk to test the range of results, or add more powdered milk or longer than ~7 hours time, advice?

Snap to make with the machine.

[Tea]

I have been trying to think back to when we used to make yoghurt, and I am sure that when it came out of the oven is was set almost like our cheese curds set.  I don't remember them being running and soft like they are now.  I am wondering if there has been a change in the cultures that are available to us, of if that is  reflection on the milk quality that we use now.
I'll let you know how things turn out with the yoghurt base.

[Cheese Head]

Good point, I have these yogurt cultures that I haven't tried yet, maybe it will gove a different product than using store bought plain active Dannon yogurt as a starter culture, will post results.

[Cartierusm]

John, how long does it take to make a batch from start to finish? Do you have to get the bacteria going first for a few days, I really know nothing about fresh yogurt making. How much do the machines cost?

P.S. I just read some of your posts on the machine so disregard that question.