Greek yoghurt starter culture | get the real taste of Greece at home!

Greek yoghurt is a well known delicious, rich yet fresh thermophilic yoghurt type. You might know it as ελληνικό γιαούρτι, and you can make it with our Greek yoghurt starter culture.

What is yoghurt?

Yoghurt, also spelled yogurt, yogourt or yoghourt, is a foodproduct produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yoghurt are known as yoghurt cultures. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yoghurt its texture and characteristic tart flavor.  Cow’s milk is commonly available worldwide and, as such, is the milk most commonly used to make yoghurt. Milk from water buffalo, goats, ewes, mares, camels, yaks and plant milks are also used to produce yogurt. The milk used may be homogenized or not. It may be pasteurized or raw. Each type of milk and each type of starter produces substantially different results.

About our Greek yoghurt starter culture.

Greek yoghurt is a well known delicious, rich yet fresh thermophilic yoghurt type. By letting it drain after making it, it gets wonderfully thick. Optionally you can even add cream or skimmed milk powder in the preparation for extra thickness.

Greek yoghurt is a thermophilic yoghurt

Please note, this is a thermophilic, warmth-loving, yoghurt type. So you need a warm place, such as a yoghurt maker, sous vide device or instant pot to make it.

Content

• 2 grams of heirloom thermophilic dry yoghurt starter
• Enough for the rest of your life, check the instructions below
• Produced in Bulgaria
• Allergens: milk
• Contents: milk, starter cultures

Micro-organisms Greek yoghurt starter culture

• Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

Why a dried starter?

• dried starters have a long shelf life
• easy to ship/take with you, also abroad
• does not deteriorate due to transport
• light in weight (shipping costs)
• you can buy the starter even if you do not intend to make yoghurt immediately
• you can save a part in case the quality of your fresh yoghurt deteriorates
• after activation, the effect of dried yoghurt as a starter is identical to fresh yoghurt

Storage instructions

In the freezer. Save the dried yogurt starter in a Ziploc bag after use, or vacuum-sealed. The starter is highly hydrophilic – if moisture gets into the package, the quality will deteriorate. Shelf life is at least a year in the freezer, but probably longer.

Activating your Greek yogurt starter

1. Bring 1 liter of milk to a gentle boil at about 90°C. Be careful not to burn the milk, or the yogurt will have a burnt taste. This step is necessary to kill existing bacteria in the milk that might react with the starter. Heating the milk also denatures the proteins and the fat molecules are rearranged so that this produces a better yogurt.
2. Heat for ten minutes, stirring. This provides an extra firm yoghurt later. If you use sterilized (UHT) milk, this is not necessary.
3. Allow it to cool to the desired temperature (around 32 ° C
4. When the rest of the milk in the yogurt maker is at 42-43ºC, mix in the milk from the cup (with the starter).
5. Stir the milk gently, without whisking, because whisking introduces air bubbles in the milk, which will slow down the incubation.
6. Keep it overnight (5 to 12 hours) in your yogurt maker at 42-43ºC. Check if the yogurt is thick, if not, leave it longer and check every few hours, and once the yogurt is firm, or after 12 hours, turn off the yogurt maker, and let the yogurt cool for 2 hours.
7. Further chill the yogurt for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator. Cooling the yogurt makes it thicker and tastier. Enjoy!
8. For thicker Greek yogurt, drain the yogurt for several more hours in a cheesecloth and colander.

Heirloom

• You can eat the just-made yogurt right now, or freeze it in ice cube bags as a “mother starter. Each ice cube is another starter for a liter of milk.
• Follow the same method as above. Store freshly made yogurt in the refrigerator and be sure to use it within 3 to 4 days to inoculate new yogurt so that all the bacteria are happy and alive.
• From now on, you can also start playing with other types of milk: sheep, goat, skim milk, whole milk, raw, etc.

Tip

Sometimes a dried yogurt starter needs a second ‘fermentation round’ to get it’s full potential. This means using a spoonful of the first batch to start a second. The second batch will be better.

Buying a Greek yoghurt starter culture?

Order your Greek yoghurt starter culture at startercultures.eu, the European webshop for all your fermentation needs’. By Meneer Wateetons, renowned Dutch fermentation expert and author. Order on weekdays before  3 pm and we’ll ship the same day.  Questions on the usage of the vegan cheese starter kit? Ask them in our chat, we’ll here to help!

Online Yoghurt making course