3 recipes with the yogurt maker

This homemade yogurt represents an excellent option for those who wish to adopt a healthier, more sustainable, and more economical lifestyle, and also to have fun making this food with excellent nutritional properties at home. In this article, we will propose 3 recipes to make with it Yogurt maker with small pots Girmi YG03 of Girmi and the Pitcher yogurt maker YG02but first, let's see why making yogurt at home.

The advantages of homemade yogurt production

First of all, making yogurt with a yogurt maker significantly reduces the environmental impact by avoiding the consumption and disposal of industrial containers. This is a great advantage not only for those who are mindful of adopting more sustainable daily practices, but also to reduce the amount of household waste and facilitate recycling.

Secondly, homemade yogurt production is more economicalcompared to buying industrial yogurt, especially when considering the quality of ingredients used.

The possibility to personally choose the ingredients guarantees the creation of a yogurt without additives such as colorings, artificial flavors, or preservatives, thus contributing to a healthier and more natural diet. From a health perspective, homemade yogurt offers a much healthier alternative compared to industrial yogurt. Storing it in the refrigerator for a few days ensures the freshness of the product and its maximum nutritional quality. In addition, homemade preparation allows you to control the amount and type of added sugars.

The versatility of homemade yogurt also allows for customizing the product based on individual preferences. Different types of milk, including plant-based ones, can be used to cater to specific dietary needs such as lactose intolerance or a vegan diet. Furthermore, yogurt can be flavored with natural ingredients like fresh fruit, honey, or vanilla. Not to mention how fun and rewarding it can be to experiment with different ingredients and flavors!

Basic white yogurt recipe

This basic recipe for homemade white yogurt can be prepared with the the Girmi YG03 yogurt maker with just two simple ingredients: 11 liter of whole milk and 1 packet of live lactic ferments or 200gor 200g of whole white yogurt with live lactic ferments. Thanks to the 7 single-dose glass jars, after preparation you can flavor each individual dose differently, so that everyone in the family can have their favorite yogurt.

To prepare your yogurt, pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it to a temperature between 42° and 44°. Use a kitchen thermometer. If you don't have one available, consider that the milk should be lukewarm. Put the starter cultures (or yogurt that you will use) in a container, pour some of the lukewarm milk and mix well with a hand whisk, then pour in the rest of the milk and mix again.

Divide the liquid by pouring it into the 7 yogurt jars and place them inside the basket. You can flavor the yogurt before putting it in the yogurt maker with creams such as pistachio, cocoa, or hazelnut, or you can use coffee or vanilla.

Close the yogurt maker with the lid provided and let it sit for between 9 and 12 hours without ever moving or turning it. After the specified time has elapsed, remove the jars from the basket, cover them with the provided lids, let them cool, and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before tasting.

To flavor the yogurts individually, you can use fresh fruit, caramelized fruit (just cook it with a little sugar in a saucepan), or dried fruit.

Greek yogurt basic recipe 

This recipe for making Greek yogurt at home is designed for the Girmi YG02 yogurt maker. The necessary ingredients are the same as the previous recipe - 1 liter of whole milk and 1 packet of live lactic ferments or 200g of whole white yogurt with lactic ferments - but the preparation is a bit different.

After bringing the milk to a temperature between 42° and 44° in a saucepan, place the culture or starter in a container, pour some of the warm milk and mix well with a hand whisk, then pour the remaining milk and mix again. In this case, you can also flavor with coffee, vanilla, or cream.

Transfer the milk into the yogurt maker basket, close it with the lid provided and let it sit for 12 hours without moving or tilting the yogurt maker. After the resting time, place the filter in the small container and pour the freshly made yogurt into the filter. Close with the lid and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours: the excess whey will be deposited in the container and in the filter will remain the Greek yogurt, thick and compact. 

Once the yogurt is ready, transfer it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to five days. Fun fact: the whey can also be used as a protein addition for your soups!

Greek yogurt piadina

For this yogurt piadina recipe you can prepare Greek yogurt following the previous procedure. Here are the other ingredients you will need:

• 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 50 ml fizzy water
• 220g of type 1 flour + a pinch for rolling out

Once you have obtained your yogurt, take 170g of it and mix it with oil, salt, and a pinch of baking soda. Mix well, then add the sifted flour, mixing first with a fork and then with your hands. If the dough is too hard, add a little sparkling water. The consistency will depend a lot on the type of flour you use and the density of your Greek yogurt. Create a ball of dough and work it briefly, divide it into 4 parts, and let it rest for 10 minutes. 

Flour the work surface well and roll out each part, first with your fingertips and then with a rolling pin, trying to create a as round a shape as possible. Brush a non-stick pan with a little oil and when it's hot, cook one piadina at a time for two minutes on each side.

You can fill your "piadine" with a sweet or savory filling, they will be a real pleasure!