1) Is it wrong when the yogurt separates with a clear liquid on top.

Just stir the liquid (called whey) back into the yogurt. If there is a lot of separation, please see Q5 and Picture Gallery page

2) Does it really take 14 hours to make this yogurt?

MultiYo bio-cultures take longer to work their magic. Please be patient and the taste will reward you. 

You can let it ferment for longer if you wish which can make it thicker but also sometimes slightly sharp.

3) My yogurt is like a drinking yogurt (similar to single cream). How do I make it thicker?

Just add some powdered milk when mixing in the starter culture. Three or four heaped dessert spoonfuls will give a thick yogurt. Nestle’s NIDO full cream milk powder gives good results. Some people mix cream into the pasteurised milk before heating instead.

Please see Picture Gallery page.

4) Why has my yogurt gone runny?

When the yogurt sets, the proteins form bonds. When you stir it, you break the bonds making the yogurt less thick. Some people use yogurt makers with individual jars to keep it firm rather than making in a 1 Litre container and then disturbing it to put it into portions.

5) Do I have to boil pasteurised milk?

The reason for heating it for yogurt is to change the proteins in the milk (called de-naturing) to give a better consistency – this needs heat for a period of time so bring to near boiling and allow to cool naturally. If you don’t do this or don’t do for long enough, there will be a lot of clear liquid formed on top (whey). 

UHT milk has already been heat treated for a period of time which means that you can miss out this stage.  See  Picture Gallery page

NB: Raw milk must always be boiled to kill off any bacteria.

6) How do I stop pasteurised milk from burning when heating it?

You actually only need to bring to milk to around 82º C (180º F) for around 20 minutes so that the proteins change. You will just start to see some small bubbles round the edge of the milk and steam coming off. A thermometer naturally makes this easy to check. Another tip is to use a double saucepan called a ‘bain marie’ as this has a water bath to protect the milk from burning.  See Picture Gallery page

NB: Raw milk must always be boiled to kill off any bacteria.

7) I used to make yogurt by leaving it in a warm place. Do I actually need a yogurt maker for MultiYo?

Yes, you do because our blend of 14 bio-cultures is special and needs time and the right temperature of around 42ºC (110ºF) to work its magic and come alive. We have found that the Lakeland Yogurt maker from Lakeland or Amazon give excellent results as the temperature and time can be precisely controlled.

8) Can I use something other than cow’s milk?

You could try goat or sheep milk as that makes good yogurt but with a distinctive taste – UHT goat’s milk is available in some supermarkets.

9) I am lactose intolerant so can I use lactose-free milk?

No.  You have to start with lactose containing milk.  The bacteria break down the lactose so the resulting yogurt is pretty free of lactose. This is why yogurt has been so popular for centuries as it enables adults to consume milk. The ability for adults to digest milk is a fairly recent genetic modification that not all the population has. Please see: https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1763

Often, the intolerance is actually to a milk protein called casein. You can remove this when you have cooled heated fresh milk as it forms a skin that is easy to remove if you don’t want it. Or mix it back in if you do.

10) Can I use soy or nut-based milks?

Sorry no. Our little guys need proper milk with lactose to grow and multiply.

11) What type of milk should I use? Full cream, low fat or skimmed?

Full cream milk gives the best results. Low fat or skimmed has had a lot of the fat removed that is needed for the yogurt to set properly.

12) Can I use just powdered milk instead of UHT or pasteurised milk?

Yes - just mix up as per the instructions (preferably with boiled and then cooled water so it is sterile) to reconstitute the milk. You won’t need to heat up the mixture before putting into the yogurt maker as the proteins will already have de-natured.

13) Why is the yogurt lumpy?

Lumps of cream can be in fresh, full cream milk so give it a good whisk first. A battery powered coffee whisk is useful for this and for making sure that the powders mix in well, which can be another source of lumps.

14) Can I use a portion of the yogurt as a starter for the next batch?

No. The different bacteria grow at different rates so always start with a new sachet.

15) What is the portion size?

A litre of yogurt is about 5-6 portions. Some people have one portion a day, some have more.

16) Why is my yogurt is grainy or gritty?

That because the milk was heated too fast. Temperature changes need to be done gently so heat slowly and then let it cool down naturally.