Making #fatfree #yoghurt using the Instant Pot

You will need

• 3 litres of UHT milk
• 2 tbs natural yoghurt
• 3 tbs dried skimmed milk
• The Instant Pot

I love yoghurt. It's good for my little tummy as a treat in conjunction with my diet of nuts and seeds (and occasional cake).

Please let me have a lick of that yoghurt!

Some people seem to make a bit of a song and dance about making yoghurt but it really isn't rocket science, actually it's microbiology and biochemistry. Lactobacillus bacteria feed on the lactose from the milk to create lactic acid. This has the effect of gently curdling the milk and making it thicker and tangier.

You can make your yoghurt with full fat, semi skimmed or skimmed milk. Today I'm making it with skimmed milk in some kind of mad health kick.

I use UHT milk. "Why?" you may ask. Well, the process using the I.P. can be simplified so much with UHT milk. There is no need for the sterilising boil, it's already sterile. This means no waiting for the boiled milk to cool. I do give the I.P. a short high pressure cycle with a little water just for my own peace of mind. It means the vessel is sterile, and also hot. I simply throw in my 3 litres of skimmed UHT milk, three tablespoons of dried skimmed milk powder (to help bulk up the yoghurt with extra protein) and two large tablespoons of low fat natural yoghurt. I use supermarket, own brand, plain yoghurt. We simply want those bacilli bacteria.

The Yoghurt programme on the I.P. takes the guessing out of making yoghurt. Once the ingredients are whisked together (so everything is well-distributed through the milk), the lid is put on with that trademark little scale of notes it plays! Then "Yoghurt" is presssed and the time can be adjusted up or down. I find the optimum time is between 12 and 15 hours. !5 hours will make a more tangy yoghurt but if you are trying to get rid of lactose, it should be justabout all gone by then.

The timer counts up on this programme. Just leave it to work its magic.

At the end of the programme you will have 3 litres of yoghurt. It may be a little uneven in texture. I usually gently mix it up with a clean ballon whisk before distrubuting it into clean plastic pots.

The yoghurt has many uses. I use it on cereal, with fruit, with both together! I make lassi with it, blending tinned mango puree with the yoghurt. I make raita (add grated cucumber and mint sauce to the yoghurt...easy!). It can be used to make pizza dough with self raising flour, as an alternative to yeasty dough. It has medicinal uses too...I'l let you Google those, they are not for a food blog!

My favourite and most addictive combination is the yogurt with lemon curd (also made in the IP).

IP Yoghurt and lemon curd, enjoy!