On the benefits of fermented milk products resulting from fermentation, articles and even books have been written. Few deny it, except the inveterate dairy farmers who warn progressive humanity about the dangers of any milk derivatives. Recently, everyone has heard the phrase "thermostatic yogurt." But some still do not know what it is and how it differs from the usual one. Those who have heard about such a product are interested in how to cook thermostat yogurt at home with their own hands. We will talk about all this in our article.
Two kinds
And yet, how is thermostatic yogurt different from ordinary? The answer is simple: the way of cooking. Yoghurt fermented milk products are prepared in factories in two main ways.
- Reservoir. With this method, the product is prepared in a special tank and only then is poured into the dishes in which it is sold.
- Thermostatic Here the drink is fermented and ripens directly in the container, which will be sold as products in stores. Thermostat yogurt "ripens" in special chambers (thermostats where the container is placed) - hence the name.
The difference between some characteristics
Thermostatic yogurt differs from reservoir yogurt primarily in that it is thicker. When preparing a drink in tanks, it will remain liquid, and in the thermostat acquires a dense consistency, since clots will form in the process. And its main difference is that it is most useful for humans: the content of productive microorganisms in it is simply phenomenal. A thermostatic manufacturing method allows you to save this unique microflora. But hence the short shelf life of the product produced at the factory (or at home).
Structure
It contains simple ingredients: milk, sourdough (a mixture of pure cultures of Bulgarian bacillus), bifidobacteria ActiRegularis or Bifidobacterium animalis. The product is obtained by fermenting pasteurized milk with the help of fermentation with the addition of bacteria. By standards, in such a “live” yogurt per milliliter there should be 10 7 lactobacilli and 10 6 bifidobacteria (living). Therefore, the nutritional and health value of the drink is great. It contains, in addition to microorganisms, proteins and fats, carbohydrates and calcium, many vitamins. Thermophilic yogurt is recommended by nutritionists of all countries of the world as a healing restorative and preventive nutrition.
A bit of history
It is believed that the living culture of yogurt was discovered by the scientist Mechnikov in 1908. But today it is known for certain that even the ancient Turks used similar recipes to obtain a wholesome and tasty drink. The first industrial live yogurt appeared in Spain in 1918 thanks to Carasso, a follower of the work of a Russian scientist who began production in his own laboratory. Interestingly, the first yogurt (just such a translation has the English. Yogurt) was sold exclusively in clay pots and only in pharmacies (according to prescriptions). Today, yoghurts produced at "gentle" temperatures in thermostats are direct descendants of the great-great-grandchildren of the Mechnikovsky curdled milk made by a brilliant Russian scientist at the beginning of the last century, that is, more than 100 years ago.
Briefly about cooking technology in production
The thermostatic method is the most gentle in the production of yogurt. As already mentioned, a mixture of yeast, milk and a bacterial additive is poured into special prepared containers, which are placed in a thermostat, where the heating process takes place. In this case, the temperature in the chamber is maintained at a level of 20-45 degrees above zero, which allows you to save all the microorganisms in a mixture in a living natural form. In thermostats, the product is ripened. After this procedure, the jars of future yogurt are slightly cooled and the product is left to ripen for several days. The main requirements of production are: always fresh selected milk, the absence of additional heat treatment, high sanitary and hygienic requirements for the process itself. And the thermostat drink is good because its production does not use chemical additives and sugar, and short shelf life (usually a few tens of days) suggests that the drink is really natural, and it contains live microorganisms that are useful for intestinal microflora and her recovery.
Factory Yoghurts
Thermostatic yogurt "Danone" (thick) is a prominent representative of these products on the domestic market. It consists of: normalized and skimmed milk powder, cream, sourdough and bacteria. Nutritional value per 100 grams - 49 kcal (with a fat content of 1.5%). It is recommended to store it at a temperature slightly above zero in the refrigerator. And after opening the package (250 grams), it is not recommended to hold it for a long time. It is sour to taste, reminiscent of homemade yogurt with lumps, but the main thing here is its great benefits to the body. And who did not like the excess acid - you can always add a spoonful of natural bee honey, so the beneficial qualities will even increase.
Thermostatic Activia yogurt, which can be bought at any supermarket today, can also be used as a starter culture.
Do it yourself
But not all people who eat healthy tend to trust in-store products. This happens for various reasons, but the fact remains: many people prefer to cook this product with their own hands. How to make thermostatic yogurt at home? It is not so difficult. You need a skill that is acquired over time, from about the third time (but it is possible that you will get a tasty and healthy diet on the first try). Of course, thermostatic yogurt is best prepared at home in a special yogurt maker. But since this is a rather specific device, it may not be at hand. And if you decide for the first time to taste the taste of homemade fermented milk product, then even more so. But let's try to do with simpler appliances, which, for sure, are available in every kitchen.
Ingredients
We need: a liter of milk 3.2% (it is best to take ultra-pasteurized, then it does not have to be boiled), a glass of cream 10%, half a glass of sour cream 15%. As dishes, you need to prepare small glass jars with twisting lids. And we also need a saucepan with a lid and a thick warm blanket or a large terry towel. You can start cooking. It is better to do this at night - in the morning your homemade yogurt will be ready.
Cooking method
- If the milk is ultra-pasteurized, then it is enough to mix it with cream and heat to a temperature of slightly less than 40 ° C. If normal, boil for 3-5 minutes and cool to the same 40 degrees.
- Introduce the sourdough into the heated milk. As her, you can use ordinary sour cream, or you can buy ready-made dry sourdough (breed and use according to the instructions) or the same "Activation". Mix thoroughly.
- We pour the raw materials into jars that must first be sterilized. Banks with lids do not need to be closed.
- We put them in a prepared pan with hot water. During the whole process we maintain the temperature no higher than 40 ° (we check with a kitchen thermometer): remember, you must not overheat yogurt, otherwise microorganisms can die!
- Close the pan with banks and hot water lid. We wrap it with a blanket on all sides and in this form leave it on the kitchen table for the whole night.
- In the morning we untangle the design: homemade yogurt is ready!
For lovers of density: you can stand it for some more time. In other cases, close the jars and send down the refrigerator for ripening. And remember: such a product has a short shelf life, so it is advisable to eat it right away.
In a slow cooker
Cooking thermostatic yogurt in a slow cooker is quite simple. Would it be available. But today, this convenient kitchen appliance is not uncommon in a modern kitchen. So, most likely, the recipe will be very handy.
- Cooking thermostatic yogurt in a slow cooker begins with the selection of ingredients. It is better to take homemade milk and boil for several minutes, and then cool to 30-40 degrees. As a starter, this time we use a small box of Activia yogurt without additives - there are plenty of live cultures in it.
- We mix the ingredients and pour the mass into sterilized small jars. We don’t close them with covers.
- We put in the bowl of the multicooker and fill it with warm water on the shoulders. We close and turn on the heater for a couple of minutes. Turn off.
- The heating procedure is repeated after 3 hours.
After about 6-9 hours, the yogurt is ready. We twist the lids and send down the refrigerator.