Beijing yoghurt starter culture | for home made yoghurt

Use this Beijing yoghurt starter culture to make Beijng yoghurt at home!

What is Beijing yoghurt

Beijing yoghurt is popular in China and North Vietnam. Traditionally served in ceramic containers and found on many streets in the region. Yoghurt was most likely brought to China by the Mongols, who are known to consume it every day when they invaded China. It may also have traveled to Beijing along the Silk Road. Regardless, yoghurt was originally produced by ancient nomadic shepherd populations who carried the fresh milk of the day with them in goat or sheepskin bags.

Thermophilic

This is a thermophilic yoghurt starter that needs heat to ferment. We recommend a yoghurt maker to get consistent results with our Beijing yogurt starter. However, a steamer with a yoghurt function, a sous vide cooker or a thermos also works. The temperature matters. Not the device.

As a fermented milk culture, it has many health benefits, including live probiotics and easily digestible milk nutrients (including lactose).

Micro organisms

The bacteria used to produce our Beijing yoghurt come from sweet fermented rice. This is traditionally mixed with whole milk, sugar and honey to produce a very sweet tasting yoghurt. But even without sugars it is a great yoghurt.

Content

• 1 gram heirloom thermophilic dry yoghurt starter
• With the right care, enough for the rest of your life
• Produced in the UK

Why a dried Beijing yoghurt starter culture?

• a dried starter has a long shelf life
• easy to ship / take with you, also abroad
• does not deteriorated by transport
• light in weight (shipping costs)
• you can already buy your starter even if you don’t plan on making yoghurt immediately
• you can keep a portion on hand in case your fresh yogurt deteriorates
• after activation, the action of dried yoghurt is identical to fresh yoghurt

Storage instructions

In the freezer. Even after use, keep the yoghurt starter in the freezer in a ziploc bag, or vacuumsealed. The starter is very hydrophilic – if moisture gets into the pack, it will deteriorate the quality. Shelf life is 2 years in the freezer.

How do I make Beijing yoghurt

1. Fill a jar with 1000 ml of sterilized, or pasteurized milk heated to 90 degrees and cooled again.
2. Add the yoghurt starter to the milk and stir VERY well.
3. If necessary, put the mixture in separate yogurt jars.
4. If the yoghurt has not set after 8 hours, just leave it in the yogurt maker for a little longer. If possible, keep checking it every 2 hours. In some cases, it can take up to 18 hours for it to set completely. Be patient.
5. Place the yoghurt in the refrigerator until it has cooled, for at least 2 hours.
6. Make sure to keep enough yoghurt each time you make it to re-grow the next batch. You need about a tablespoon of culture per 1000 ml of milk. This is an heirloom yoghurt that can be re-grown indefinitely.
7. Make sure to re-grow your yoghurt at least once a week to keep it healthy and active.
8. Alternatively, you can make a mother starter by freezing the first batch of yogurt in ice cube bags and using each ice cube as a new starter.

Special recipe for traditional Old Beijing yoghurt

The ratio of milk, Beijing yoghurt and sweet fermented rice wine should be 4: 0.5: 0.5. If you can’t find the rice wine, you can skip it and keep the milk / Beijing yoghurt ratio at 4-1.

1. Clean your materials thoroughly
2. Heat the yoghurt at 42 degrees Celcius for 8 hours or as long as necessary until it has set. Use a yoghurt maker, or sous vide, or put the warm milk in a thermos, for example.
3. Let the milk cool down to 43-45 ° C
4. Mix the milk, yoghurt and rice wine well.
5. Pour the yoghurt mixture into sealable jars
6. Ferment in a warm place, such as a yoghurt maker, sous vide or the yoghurtsetting of your oven or instant pot for about 5-10 hours. Longer is more acidic.
7. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
8. Add honey to taste.

Online Yoghurt making course

In 29 bite sized English spoken video lessons you will learn all about making yoghurt (and other fermented dairy) at home, without the need for special tools, in this online course by the founder of startercultures.eu. You will learn to ferment any yoghurt, promote your probiotics and save money by never having to buy yoghurt again!