VitaLac Products

SOY YOGURT & SOY YOGURT CHEESE

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SOY YOGURT, SOY YOGURT CHEESE AND FRUIT-FLAVORED FROZEN SOY YOGURT DESSERT

© Bryanna Clark Grogan - 2005. No reproduction of the following material without permission from the author. If you would like to share any of my recipes with others, or on a forum, or another site, kindly notify me and credit me, my website and the book the recipe appeared in. You are welcome to link to this page from your site. Thanks!

This recipe and method makes consistently creamy, white, non-beany-tasting, tart, thick soy yogurt. Because it already has a stabilizer in it, it is great for frozen non-dairy yogurt! IF YOU ARE USING THIS JUST TO MAKE YOGURT SHAKES AND SMOOTHIES, OR FOR MAKING SOY YOGURT CHEESE, ELIMINATE THE KOSHER GELATIN.

NOTE ON STABILIZERS: I tried agar, agar plus cornstarch, kosher gelatin, cornstarch, and tapioca starch. Kosher gelatin was our favorite, hands down. The yogurt made with kosher gel does not separate when spooned and does not “weep”, AND it produces a creamy mouth-feel. However, if you can’t get it, you can use cornstarch, which was our second favorite. It makes a creamy yogurt that stays stable when spooned, but it does “weep” a bit—you can just tip the jar and drain off the liquid.

Ingredients: 

• 6 cups soymilk (NOT vanilla-flavored), commercial or homemade (see Cooking Tip #3 below for notes on using homemade soymilk) NOTE: If using commercial soymilk, use it from a newly-opened carton.

• 1 sachet powdered vegan yogurt starter (see Cooking Tip #1 below below for where to order this ) or 1/4 cup live soy yogurt (homemade or one such as Nancy's Cultured Soy)

• 2 Tbs Emes plain kosher gelatin (see Cooking Tip #2 below for where to buy) or 2 Tbs. cornstarch (organic cornstarch is available in health food stores) (or, if you are allergic to corn, you can use wheat starch which is available in some Asian grocery stores)

NOTE - TO MAKE FRUIT-FLAVORED YOGURT: I simply add my favorite low-sugar jam to the yogurt just before eating.

Sterilize all containers, lids and everything that comes into contact with the soymilk and yogurt by scalding with boiling water. This protects the yogurt from stray bacteria.

Have ready your yogurt-incubating paraphernalia:

• #1.) You can use 3 pint jars with screw-on lids (the plastic kind, preferably) and place them inside an inexpensive Styrofoam cooler along with 2 quart jars of boiling water (with lids-- and the jar should not touch the yogurt jars). (Warm up the cooler with the jars of hot water while you get the yogurt ready.) Cover the cooler and cover with an old blanket. You may have to add more hot water to the jars halfway through the incubation time.

• #2.) Use a non-electric yogurt incubator, such as the Yogotherm (they also make an electric version), which has a 2-quart plastic container nestled in a Styrofoam liner inside of a canister.

in which case you will need to re-vamp this recipe to use 2 quarts of soymilk, 2 Tbs plus 2 tsp. kosher gelatin, and 1/3 of a cup of yogurt. This maker will not work if you don't fill up the container with the full 2 quarts. See here for ordering this yogurt maker online.

• IF YOU PREFER A GLASS JAR, there is a similar non-electric yogurt maker called the "Bio Snacky Yogurt Box". Canadians and Americans can buy it here: http://www.biosupply.com/biosnackyyoghurtmaker.htm

If you use the Bio Snacky, you'll have to tailor the recipe down to 1 quart - use 2/3rds of the recipe.

• #3.) Use the directions that go with your electric yogurt incubator. Mine is an old Salton model with six 1-cup jars, so it is just perfect for one batch of homemade soymilk. Plug the yogurt maker in to warm it up while you get the yogurt ready.

• #4) Use a thermos: Almost fill a thermos bottle (preferably widemouthed) heated for 10 minutes with hot water inside. Pour out the water and add your inoculated soymilk at the right temperature. Put the lid on and wrap the thermos in two or three terry towels, or a small quilt. Set it in a warm, draft-free place overnight.

Making the yogurt: IF YOU USE HOMEMADE SOYMILK, as soon as you strain it, add your sweetener and salt, and add the kosher gelatin at the same time, while the milk is very hot. Whisk it until dissolved. Use a dairy or candy thermometer to determine when the temperature comes down to about 115 degrees F.

• IF YOU USE COMMERCIAL SOYMILK, warm the milk up in a scalded stainless steel pot, or a large Pyrex bowl that can go in the microwave. Use low heat or a low power level. Bring up to 115 degrees F. Use a dairy or candy thermometer to determine the temperature. Add the kosher gelatin at the same time, while the milk is very hot. Whisk it until dissolved

• IF YOU USE CORNSTARCH INSTEAD OF KOSHER GELATIN: Unlike kosher gel, cornstarch needs to be cooked in order to thicken. Mix the cornstarch with 2 Tbs. of COLD soymilk, then stir it into 1 cup of the hot soymilk. Bring to a boil, stirring, in a small pot over medium-high heat and stir until thickened OR microwave it in a microwave-proof bowl (large enough for it to foam up when it boils) at half power for about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk well and then whisk into the remaining soymilk. This will bring the temperature of the soymilk up, so, if you are using commercial soymilk, this may be enough to bring it up to temperature without further heating. If using hot homemade soymilk, you will have to cool it further.

WHICHEVER MILK YOU USE, once the kosher gelatin is dissolved and the temperature is about 115 degrees F, whisk in your powdered yogurt starter or yogurt. Whisk well to distribute the starter well. Pour the inoculated soymilk into your scalded jars or container, cover and incubate for 10-12 hours. Soy yogurt tends to be mild, so it needs at least 10 hours to develop the characteristic tartness that we are used to.

Refrigerate immediately for about 12 hours before eating-- this is part of the incubation process and helps develop flavor. The yogurt will keep for about a week. If you are going to use some of the yogurt to start the next batch, keep back 1/4 cup of it. Let it come to room temperature before using as a starter. you can do this about 14 times before needing a fresh powdered starter.

To make soy yogurt cheese: simply pour the yogurt (made without kosher gelatin - it may be okay to use cornstarch - I haven't tried that yet) into two layers of fine muslin lining a colander, tie up the ends to form a bag, and suspend from the sink tap or on a long wooden spoon resting across a tall pot to catch the liquid that drips from it. (You can also use a jelly-bag set-up or a special yogurt-cheese maker that you can buy in some outlets that sell yogurt making machines.) when the mixture has stopped dripping and is spreadable, season to taste with salt (and herbs, garlic, whatever you like), spoon into a container and refrigerate.

To make fruit-flavored frozen soy yogurt: in a blender mix 2 1/2 cups soy yogurt made with kosher gelatin, 3/4 cup organic sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, lemon, almond or orange extract. Optional is 2 Tbs. vodka or appropriately-fruit-flavored liqueur. Blend well. Add 1 1/2 cups berries or chopped fruit (fresh or frozen). Blend until mixed. Freeze according to directions for your ice cream-making machine.

Nutrition Facts: 

For plain yogurt Serving size: 1 serving (1/2 cup) Percent daily values based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving Calories 70.84 Calories From Fat (29%) 20.77 % Daily Value Total Fat 2.43g 4% Saturated Fat 0.34g 2% Cholesterol 0.31mg 0% Sodium 73.24mg 3% Potassium 164.02mg 5% Carbohydrates 6.40g 2% Dietary Fiber 1.59g 6% Sugar 0.61g Sugar Alcohols 0.00g Net Carbohydrates 5.17g Protein 6.75g 14%

Cooking Tips 

#1.) VEGAN YOGURT L+ STARTER: The commercial powdered yogurt starters available in health food stores usually are in a skim milk base but I have found a reliable one that is not! Order your yogurt L+ starter by emailing: VitaLac!

#2.) VEGAN KOSHER GELATIN: Ingredients: Carrageenan, locust bean gum & maltodextrin. Use 1 TBSP per pint of liquid. (It makes great vegan "jello" and is also useful for making vegan cheeses and vegan frozen desserts.)

Look for Emes Plain Kosher-Jel, Unflavored, Unsweetened. You may be able to buy other vegan brands of kosher gelatin (there are a few brands that are NOT vegan). These include Kojel, Carmel, Haddar, and Victors. You can find these brands in kosher groceries and through online kosher shopping outlets.

To jell about 2 c. of liquid:

1 T. animal gelatin= =2 T. agar flakes=1 tsp. agar powder ==2/3 of a bar of kanten =4 scant tsp. vegetarian kosher gel.

In both Canada and the US, you can buy kosher gelatin in bulk from Seventh Day Adventist ABC stores (Adventist Bookstores). ADVENTIST BOOK CENTER STORE LOCATOR FOR NORTH AMERICA at adventistbookcenter.com. These stores sell vegetarian and vegan foods as well as books.  They carry kosher gel, Better Than Milk powder, vegetarian meat subs, yeast extract [Savorex] and many other foods, some hard to find. Prices are excellent [bulk items available] and the people are friendly.) Some of the locations have online ordering, too (for instance, the British Columbia store in Abbotsford at http://www.bcabc.org/). You can find information about where and when buses visit various areas, too. ABC (Adventist Book Center) All their stores in North America, Canada included (call 1-800-765-6955 to order from anywhere in North America or to locate an ABC store near you) Silver Spring, MD, 800-325-8492 Glendale, CA, 888-266-5047

#3) USING HOMEMADE SOYMILK: See my method for making soymilk here. (Look for "Making Homeade Soymilk" in the menu on your left) Use Option 2 for ingredients.

If you make your own soymilk, to have a whiter milk and a non-beany taste, it is advisable rub the skins off the soybeans before making soymilk. This takes only a few extra minutes. Place the soaked beans in a deep bowl of water. Rub them back and forth vigorously between your hands for a few minutes to loosen the skins. then run warm water hard into the bowl and swish the beans around. this floats the skins to the top. Then drain the water off carefully, and the skins will float off with it. Run the water a few times until no more skins float to the top. (It's okay if you leave a few behind.)

I make my soymilk using 100 g (a heaping 1/2 cup) of soybeans (dry measure) for 6 cups of water (the maximum water level on my machine, the SoyQuick). When the milk is strained I add 1 1/2 Tbs. organic sugar and 3/8 tsp. salt. (Dairy milk has natural sodium and sugar, which soy milk is lacking. The sugar also helps the yogurt bacteria grow.) You can use maple syrup instead of sugar, if you like.