Homemade Yogurt, Yogurt Cheese, Marinated Yogurt Cheese Balls

Homemade yogurt is easy-peasy, and these cheese balls are YUMMERS!

Do these not look DE-LUX-I-O-ISHES? I was inspired to create this recipe after tasting a cheese dip at one of the booths at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market. I am pleased with this flavour combination, but this is the kind of dish that begs you to play with other flavour combinations. They are wonderful spread on a cracker or on toast - luscious, creamy, and bursting with flavour.

• 2 litres of whole milk (or 2 quarts)
• 60 grams of natural, plain yogurt* (or 1/4 cup)

*the ingredients on the side of the plain yogurt you choose to purchase must read only yogurt culture and milk solids; there must be no artificial ingredients, chemicals, or gelatine (of course, you can also purchase little starter packets)

• Place the milk in the TM bowl and cook at 80 degrees Celsius, or 176 degrees Fahrenheit  (15 minutes at level 2-3)
• Cool milk in the TM bowl to 37 degrees, or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit  (about 30 – 40 minutes) in the fridge
• Add the yogurt culture to the warm milk and combine (5 seconds at level 1-7)
• Then cook the mixture at 37 degrees, or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (15 minutes at level 2-3)
• Pour into a thermos, or heat retaining container, cover, and sit on the counter for 5 hours
• Place in the refrigerator overnight

In the morning, the cold yogurt will be much thicker than it was when you put it into the fridge.

Measure the milk into the Thermomix bowl, and turn it on: time temperature (in Celsius), and speed.

Cool the “cooked” milk in the fridge with the lid off until 37 C, and then add the yogurt culture (plain yogurt).

And, again: time, temperature, and speed. Done to foam perfection.

Pour the yogurt into a thermal bowl, cover, and leave on the counter for 5 hours. Then refrigerate.

You will find a creamy, glossy, thick white yogurt ready to mix into your homemade granola for a nutritious, delicious, and healthy breakfast!

• One batch of homemade yogurt, as described above

• Place the tea towel, or cloth into the straining basket
• Pour all of the refrigerated yogurt into the container, ensuring all goes inside of the cloth
• Set the container into a larger bowl for the straining basket to drip into

• Leave this over night, or for 8-10 hours

And here it is turned out onto a plate. I am absolutely thrilled every time I make this. It is time consuming, but so simple, and there is so much that can be made with it! It is so delicious and healthy and the satisfaction I feel when turning it onto the plate is as if I actually raised the cow, and milked her myself. Yes, the depth of my satisfaction is palpable, and a true testament to the intimate connection I have with preparing food with my hands for my family and those I love. As most of us are no longer in the position to produce our own food on the farm, there is so much more we can do, similar to this, to be an intregal part of the food production process.

These should keep at least a couple of weeks in a refridgerator. I find that my yogurt cheese keeps much longer than my homemade yogurt, so this should keep about three weeks, properly sealed.

See these delectable little cheesy balls? They seemingly quiet, and unassuming, yet, they can be absolutely dynamic and pack a huge punch with properly seasoned.

I could not resist getting a close up of the texture of this yogurt cheese. Is it not absolutely gorgeous: dense and creamy?

And here we are again, back to the final product. Something to smile about in a quiet moment, in a quiet corner, savouring a bit spread on a small cracker… that little sideways grin starting to pull at the corner of my mouth. Does it get any better than this?

Tags: cheese, Thermomix, yogurt