need help making yogurt cheese

[sage]

Hi all,

Recently I saw a little "health food" snippet on PBS, I think. They feature Graham Kerr. In one of them he is telling how to make yogurt cheese. He says you need yogurt "without thickeners" - then you just let it drain - he had a special apparatus for making the cheese but I've heard of variations using cheesecloth/papertowels, etc. What he ended up with (at least on my television) looked about the consistency of cream cheese.

Problem: Looking at the ingredients on the different brands of yogurt in my stores - they all seem to have some type of thickener, like gelatin, etc. When I tried this, I never did get a very thick result. I used a fine mesh strainer. Just plopped it in there and set it in the fridge to drain into a bowl. My result ended up just like thickish yogurt, not like cream cheese at all http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif.

So, to anyone out there who has done this successfully, is it my yogurt or more likely my technique?

Any advice is welcome. Thanks.
S. Sage.

[CL Fan]

I think I saw this on one of Martha Stewart's shows & this worked for me. I bought 'regular' yogurt - Dannon, I think & did not pay attention to thickeners. I put the yogurt in cheesecloth, then wrapped the ends of the cheescloth around a wooden spoon & let the yogurt dangle over a bowl to drain in the fridge. It comes out thick, although not as thick/hard as cream cheese. Hope this helps!

[Vanessa]

Hi. Yogurt cheese is great, its flavor is between sour cream and cream cheese. Let me give you some tips on this cheese
Kind to use:
Use yogurt without gelatin. Gelatin holds the whey and does not allow it to drain.
How to make :Place yogurt in draining device (they have very inexpensive ones available now) and allow to drain 2-24 hrs until cheese is of desired consistency. Half of the yogurt will become cheese and half whey. Discard whey & keep cheese in refrigerator covered. You will discover more whey before using and just pour off any liquid before using.
Using:
Be aware that yogurt cheese is sensitive to heat, do not heat for long time nor allow to boil.
Cool hot foods before mixing with yogurt cheese, when possible add yogurt cheese to hot foods at end of cooking time.
Uses:
cheesecakes, pies, no bake pies,mousses, ice creams and rice puddings, fruit dips, crepes, cream puffs, clafouti. There are some good paperback books for yogurt cheese uses.

About your problem I think it has to do with the type of yogurt you are using. Try another brand and be sure it does not contain gelatin. Also allow the whey to drain giving yourself enough hours before using the finish product.
Good luck!

[Susann]

I use a coffee filter to strain my yogurt. It works well and it is a lot less expensive!

[Wendy w]

Like Susann, I use a coffee filter as well. I have read that the whey can be used in smoothies and as liquid in bread recipes as it is nutritious as well. I absolutely love adding herbs to it and making dips or toppings for baked potatoes.

Enjoy!

[Norma]

Although I've seen yogurt without additives in supermarkets, I also see it in health food stores.

[amyb]

yogurt cheese:

put a linen kitchen towel in strainer (mine has feet)- put strainer in large bowl - pour in large container fresh non-fat yogurt - refrigerate - empty liquid - delicious instead of cream cheese - add some skim milk ricotta and a little vanilla and sugar for a yummy, low-fat, easy dessert.

[jandy2]

I do the same thing as Amyb but use a coffee filter instead of a linen towel' anyone have some good recipes for yogurt cheese.