{"id":549,"date":"2026-02-06T06:46:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T06:46:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/?p=549"},"modified":"2026-02-06T06:46:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T06:46:30","slug":"homemade-yogurt-chinese-recipes-at-thehongkongcookery-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/?p=549","title":{"rendered":"Homemade Yogurt | Chinese Recipes at TheHongKongCookery.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n

This delectable something!\u00a0 Oh, I am pleased as punch that I finally figured out how to make this at home!\u00a0 Yogurt, delectable thick, smooth and creamy yogurt, homemade without a machine.\u00a0 Omgosh this makes me so happy!<\/p>\n

Previously, I gotta admit, we were kinda so-so on yogurt.\u00a0 Sometimes good, sometimes okay, sometimes too sweet or a wee bit too sour, fruit kinda goopy, etc.\u00a0 That and the kinda pricey price point and we never really got into yogurt.\u00a0 But one fine day I read that making yogurt at home was pretty straight forward and, as I had recently discovered a really great milk, we plunged into our great homemade yogurt experiment.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n
Our recent discovery of this wonderful tasting whole milk thing is probably why I started thinking about all the possibilities of ‘making’ with milk.\u00a0 It is a Japanese milk called Meiji Milk and it has a high milk fat percentage of 4.3% and it’s sooooo delicious, all milky and creamy in equal measure.\u00a0 So first tip for a scrummy yogurt: source a really good milk!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Take that luscious milk and pour it all into a big pot and heat it up until the temperature reaches 180\u00b0F (82\u00b0C).\u00a0 This pasteurizes the milk and denatures the whey proteins.\u00a0 Check temperature with a food thermometer, the one ‘tool’ I think is necessary in making yogurt.\u00a0 It really helps make sure that you can create the right temperature for the fermentation of the milk into yogurt.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

Once the milk has reached 180\u00b0F (82\u00b0C) it’s immediately removed from the heat and allowed to cool down to 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C).\u00a0 Why do we need to cool the milk down to this particular temp?\u00a0 It’s because the next step is the adding of the ‘starter’ yogurt and any temperatures above 110\u00b0F will kill off the active beneficial bacteria in the starter yogurt that is exactly the thing that is gonna ferment your milk into yogurt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How to cool your milk?\u00a0 If you just leave it at room temp like I do it will take around 2 hours to cool down.\u00a0 I like to cover my pot with a cheesecloth while cooling so that nothing accidentally falls into it.\u00a0 You can give it a stir with a sterile utensil a time or two to push aside the skin that forms on top of the milk as it cools.<\/p>\n

If you are in a hurry you can place the pot in an ice bath.\u00a0 But I like that making yogurt is a slow and easy process that kinda floats in and out of my day, so I just let room temp do its thing.<\/p>\n

And don’t at all worry if you miss the temperature and go lower than 110\u00b0F (happens to me all the time, total space cadet!<\/i>)\u00a0 No problemo, just place the pot back on the stove and use a low heat to reach 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C) again.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

Besides the fresh milk, the only other ingredient you will need to make your homemade yogurt is some ‘starter’ yogurt that has the live, beneficial bacteria in it already.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

First time to make yogurt:<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Buy a starter yogurt.\u00a0 How to find yogurt with live active cultures?\u00a0 Check the labels of yogurts or greek yogurts for the words ‘live and active cultures’, ‘lactobacillus bulgaricus’ or ‘streptococcus thermophilus’.\u00a0 We always use greek yogurt, which is just more concentrated yogurt.\u00a0 However, do note that not all yogurts are equally efficient as ‘starters’.\u00a0 I’ve tried one or two that didn’t work at all.\u00a0 So, in the beginning, you may need to experiment with different yogurts as ‘starters’ before you find ones that work well.\u00a0 As for us, we finally settled on a fabulous greek yogurt\u00a0that makes the smoothest, creamiest yogurt we’ve ever eaten!<\/div>\n

Second time and onwards:<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Once you’ve made yogurt successfully you should be able to save a bit of that homemade yogurt as ‘starter’ for your next batch.\u00a0 Theoretically, that is.\u00a0 When I first started I saved a bit of my yogurt to start the next batch.\u00a0 However one or two further batches in and my finished yogurt started to expand and overflow out of the yogurt jar after sitting in the fridge for a day or two.\u00a0 Ugh…what the hey?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Not sure quite why that happened but I switched back to buying my ‘starter’ yogurt from the store until I got more confident with my yogurt skills.\u00a0 Nowadays, with more yogurt-y experience, I’ve gone back to using my own yogurt as my ‘starter’ with success.\u00a0 So, in others words, patience and persistence!\u00a0 And sterilization!<\/p>\n

Tip<\/b>:\u00a0 While the milk is cooling, take your starter yogurt out of the fridge and let it warm up to room temp.<\/i><\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

At this point you should have room temp starter yogurt and 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C) milk.\u00a0 You need to add the starter to the milk but you gotta do it slowly <\/i>so as not to kill the beneficial bacteria.\u00a0 Add starter yogurt to a sterile bowl, then add a ladleful of milk.\u00a0 Stir to combine.\u00a0 Continue adding one ladle of milk at a time, stirring to mix, until the temp of the yogurt is equal to the temp of the milk.\u00a0 Pour it all back into the pot of milk and and give it all a final gentle stir.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Homemade
\n\"Homemade<\/div>\n

Milk pasteurized, starter added, it’s time to ferment!\u00a0 The milk needs to be kept at a steady warm temperature<\/i> and undisturbed<\/i> for at least 8 hours while it ferments into yogurt.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

You’ve probably heard of yogurt machines.\u00a0 These are used to keep a steady temperature while the milk ferments.\u00a0 In the absence of a proper yogurt machine, you can easily improvise your own ad hoc yogurt machine!\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are two steps to my ad hoc method.\u00a0 First, I place the lid on my milk pot and then put the whole thing inside an insulated food bag, clipping the ends closed to keep in the heat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The next step further ensures to keep that steady temperature and also that the fermenting milk is undisturbed.\u00a0 Previously would I further wrap the insulated pot in a pile of thick blankets in the corner of the bed.\u00a0 This was sometimes inconvenient, however, as we would occasionally forget that it was there and sit on it.\u00a0 Nowadays, I simply place the wrapped pot in a cold oven and close the door.\u00a0 Heat is further kept in and the pot is out of the way and undisturbed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

This is the result of our fermentation!\u00a0 The milk has fermented into a smooth pudding like texture and is ready for draining.\u00a0 This texture is what I consider a very good result of the fermentation.\u00a0 But it’s not always so straightforward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The fermentation process is where yogurt making gets a bit tricky.\u00a0 Is it going to become yogurt or not?\u00a0 Well, the answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no.\u00a0 As you get more experienced at it it will be much more often yes.\u00a0 Sometimes I don’t achieve the pudding like texture, rather getting a slightly curdled texture.\u00a0 Still works, just not as creamy.\u00a0 Other times the dratted thing doesn’t do anything, just stays as milk.\u00a0 Bummer…but, pssst<\/i>, it turns out you can make ricotta cheese with that failed to become yogurt milk!\u00a0 More on that soon.<\/p>\n

As to why the darn thing sometimes doesn’t become yogurt?\u00a0 Well, it could be many things so here are our tips to successful yogurt fermentation:\u00a0 Keep utensils sterile so as to not introduce unwanted bacteria.\u00a0 Be careful with getting the correct temperature.\u00a0 Keep the pot at steady temperature.\u00a0 Keep that pot undisturbed.\u00a0 Try a different starter yogurt.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

And the most important thing overall that I have learned on the path to making good yogurt is: Allow enough time for fermentation!\u00a0 I started with the usual 8 hours.\u00a0 Nowadays I let the fermenting milk sit, wrapped, in the oven for up to 24 hours.\u00a0 Your success rate will become much higher and your yogurt\u00a0 will become tangier, thicker and oh so much creamier…yummm!<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade
\n\"Homemade<\/div>\n

Once fermented, the milk has to be drained to remove excess whey.\u00a0 Easy peasy, just set up a cheesecloth bag in a strainer over a bowl.\u00a0 Spoon the fermented milk into the cheesecloth bag.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

After spooning in all the fermented milk, fold over the cheesecloth baggie to close and leave it for the whey to drip out, around 2-3 hours, depending on how thick you like your yogurt.\u00a0 If you over drip, i.e. the yogurt becomes too thick for your liking, you can easily adjust by adding back a spoonful or two of whey.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

You can either drip at room temperature or you can do it in the fridge if you want to stop the fermentation process.\u00a0 I like to do this at room temperature as we like the slight extra tang that this extra fermentation time provides.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

Here is a photo of the whey that drips out of the fermented milk.\u00a0 This leftover liquid whey is nutrient rich, packed with protein, all the amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

You can toss this whey out or you could consider using it.\u00a0 The whey can be saved and used to substitute for water or milk in baked goods, added to smoothies or soup.\u00a0 Apparently you can also use it for fermenting vegetables!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

This is the yogurt, drained and ready for transfer to a jar.\u00a0 You can see that the yogurt has reduced down by quite a bit.\u00a0 Transfer to a sterile jar and your homemade yogurt is ready to eat!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Omgoshdarnit, we have so fallen in love with homemade yogurt.\u00a0 Easy to make, delicious to eat, my little girl asks for it everyday!\u00a0 Oh so very dreamy and creamy, just a bit tangy, this homemade yogurt is just so lovely.\u00a0 Once you get the easy rhythm of making homemade yogurt it’s a breeze to have fresh yogurt all the time!<\/p>\n

Pssst<\/b><\/i>…Our favorite way to eat our homemade yogurt is with a luscious swirl of maple sugar and some fresh fruit of the season.\u00a0 Nom, nom perfection with homemade fresh goodness!!!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"Homemade<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Homemade Yogurt Recipe<\/span><\/u><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

(makes 2 1\/2 cups)\u00a0 Prep time: 5 mins\u00a0 Cook time: 8 mins<\/i><\/p>\n

Ferment time: 8-24 hours\u00a0 Drain time: 2-3 hours<\/i><\/p>\n

Items Needed:<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Directions:<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Pasteurize the milk:<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Add the milk to a pot.\u00a0 Heat over medium heat until the temperature of the milk reaches 180\u00b0F (82\u00b0C), around 5-8 mins.\u00a0 Using a food thermometer to measure, keep a close eye on the milk so as to not overshoot the required temperature.\u00a0 At 180\u00b0F (82\u00b0C) remove the milk immediately from the heat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cool the pasteurized milk:<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Let the milk cool down to 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C) in the pot, around 2 hours or so depending on the season\/weather.\u00a0 Use a sterilized food thermometer to check the temperature.\u00a0 If a skin forms on top of the cooling milk just use the thermometer to push it to one side.<\/p>\n

If the milk over cools, just heat it back up again over a low heat.\u00a0 Also remember, while the milk is cooling, to remove starter yogurt from fridge and let it warm up to room temperature.<\/p>\n

Add starter to milk:\u00a0<\/i><\/b> Add the ‘starter’ yogurt to a sterile mixing bowl.\u00a0 Ladle one ladle of 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C) milk into the starter and stir to incorporate.\u00a0 Continue adding milk, one ladle at a time, stirring in each time, until the temperature of the starter and milk are the same.\u00a0 Pour the starter\/milk mixture back into the milk in the pot and give it a last gentle stir.\u00a0 Cover the pot with its lid.<\/p>\n

Wrap and ferment:<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Quickly place the whole pot into an insulated food bag, fold the edges together and pin closed with clothespins or binder clips.\u00a0 Place into a cold oven and close the door, or else, wrap in a thick blanket and place in an undisturbed corner.\u00a0 Let ferment, undisturbed, for a minimum of 8 hours and up to 24 hours.\u00a0 The longer you ferment the\u00a0 tangier the yogurt will be.\u00a0 (Not sour, mind you, just slightly tangier.<\/i>)\u00a0 You can experiment with the fermentation time until you find the length of fermentation time that best produces the taste you like.<\/p>\n

Drain the yogurt:\u00a0<\/i><\/b> After fermentation the milk should have thickened into a very soft pudding like textured yogurt (best result<\/i>) or a slightly curdled kind of texture.\u00a0 Position a sieve over a metal bowl (to catch drips<\/i>) and line the sieve with an opened cheesecloth bag.\u00a0 Ladle yogurt into the cheesecloth bag, close the bag and let the whey drip out of the yogurt for 2 to 3 hours for a thick greek yogurt texture.\u00a0 If you want thinner, regular textured yogurt reduce the dripping time.\u00a0 If you want even thicker yogurt increase the drip time.\u00a0 If you don’t want the yogurt to get more tangy do the drip in the fridge.<\/p>\n

Package the yogurt:<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 When you have achieved the texture you want, either discard dripped out whey or save it in the fridge for other uses (see post above for ideas<\/i>).\u00a0 Sterilize your hands with some rubbing alcohol and squeeze the yogurt out of the bag into the sterile jar.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Storage:\u00a0<\/i><\/b> Add a lid to your homemade yogurt and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.\u00a0 Use sterile utensils to scoop yogurt out of the jar.\u00a0 Remember to save some of the yogurt to use as ‘starter’ for your next batch of yogurt.\u00a0 Enjoy the easy peasy yummilicious yogurt!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Milky Madness at The Hong Kong Cookery:<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Nuoroda \u012f informacijos \u0161altin\u012f <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This delectable something!\u00a0 Oh, I am pleased as punch that I finally figured out how to make this at home!\u00a0 Yogurt, delectable thick, smooth and creamy yogurt, homemade without a machine.\u00a0 Omgosh this makes me so happy! Previously, I gotta admit, we were kinda so-so on yogurt.\u00a0 Sometimes good, sometimes okay, sometimes too sweet or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":550,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[34,966,35,36,967],"class_list":["post-549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kinietiski-receptai","tag-chinese","tag-homemade","tag-recipes","tag-thehongkongcookery-com","tag-yogurt"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=549"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}