Terra Americana

I have been trying to perfect goats milk yogurt for a year.  I am fortunate that Sweet Pea Cheese is down the road a bit and I can get theirs which is just so perfect and lovely.  But I admit to being a bit lazy.  Making yogurt is so seemingly easy I would rather have a gallon of their milk in my fridge and make my own.

The problem is goats milk does not easily lend itself to a thick yogurt.  I have adapted my recipe from one of Dr Ann Louise Gittleman's. (Her book is shown below), but it still was not thick enough.  Enter Ricki Carroll's New England Cheesemaking Supply (her book is also below.)  I was up at Pekarski's Sausage Co decided to take a detour.  New England Cheesemaking now has a new distribution center in South Deerfield.  Workshops are still at their glorious old farmhouse in Ashfield, but the office has moved.  While they are not setup for retail traffic they were gracious enough to let me stop in.  I wanted to buy their Basic Hard Cheese Making Kit and told them about my yogurt problem.  They suggested I experiment with a chevre and Bulgarian yogurt culture.  And voila, I now have the thick and creamy yogurt I have been dreaming about.

• 1 quart  fresh goats milk
• 1/4 tsp Chevre C20G cultures
• 1 tsp Y1- Bulgarian Yogurt Cultures  

Add cultures to 1/8 cup of milk and allow them time to dissolve. Heat remaining milk in a double boiler to 185-195 f.  Cool to about 130 f.  Pour Yogurt into jars (you will have 32oz worth).  Place jar in the oven or microwave, keeping the light on.  This will create a heated environment of about 110 f.  Allow yogurt to set, 3-6 hours (i have gone to work and left it for as much as 9 hours).  Store thickened yogurt in the refrigerator.

Once the yogurt works to your liking, you may substitute 2 tsp yogurt for the Bulgarian cultures.

What to do with you yogurt:

• Cucumber Dip - Tzajiki
• Apple and Celery Root Salad
• Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Cinnamon Chocolate Coffee Cake

Photo Credit:  Tree Hugger