I love my homemade dairy yoghurt and am lucky enough to have no issues eating as much dairy as I like. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many people, my brother included. Lactose intolerance is more common than you might think. According to the National Institute of Health, about 65% of the adult population is lactose intolerant globally. In Australia, it is 44%.
Non-dairy yoghurts are extremely popular and a great alternative for those who are lactose intolerant, as well as those who just prefer a dairy replacement. Of all the non-dairy yoghurts, soy is the most popular. Fortunately, it is also really easy to make.
Equipment
- A yoghurt maker large enough to hold one litre of soy milk
- A dairy thermometer
- A sealed whisk
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 Litre of Soy Milk
- 1-2 tablespoons of Smooth Gel — Optional
- 1 tablespoon of sugar to act as food for the culture (optional)
- 1 dose of Yoghurt Starter Culture
- Alternatively, you could use the vegan-certified Non-Dairy Yoghurt Culture.
Instructions
- Warm the soy milk to between 37° and 43° C., and place it into a yoghurt maker. This can be easily done by standing the carton in hot tap water for a few minutes.
- Add your starter culture and mix well to ensure the culture is evenly distributed.
- Add the Smooth Gel (Optional for thicker yoghurt) and sugar (optional to get to 5%). If you are adding both, mix them together first, as this will make it easier to mix them into the soy milk.
- Maintain the milk mixture between 37° and 43° C for 10-18 hours or even longer.
- Remove the internal container from your yoghurt maker and place it in the fridge to chill.
There are only a couple of minutes of work involved in making this yoghurt. The rest of the work is done by the culture. You get to enjoy this great non-dairy yoghurt at a fraction of the cost of purchasing it pre-made, and as you can see, it is rich and creamy. I used Bonsoy this time, but have had great success with many brands, including Vitasoy and So Good.
I hope that you enjoy this great way of getting your daily dose of probiotics.
As always, live well.
Valerie