Thermie Yoghurt

Hi Guys,

Im so excited to announce my yoghurt recipe is finally mastered.  Thanks to some tips from my friends grandma!  I know it should be so simple but I didnt have any luck with the EDC recipe but this is my second batch in the photo and its perfect!!

So here goes

I used 99% fat free banister downs milk but the milk shouldnt matter, the more fat the creamier the yoghurt!

1 lt milk

2 tablespoons natural yoghurt containing cultures.  (I used brownes 99.7% fat free natural).

Heat the 1 lt of milk on varoma temp, speed 3 until it boils up to the MC.  This took about 8.5 minutes in mine.

Take the lid off and allow it to cool until the light reaches 37 degrees.

Pour it into the container you wish to store it in for eating, and add the 2 tablespoons of yoghurt, barely stirring, now put the a lid on it and wrap it in a towel and leave it on the bench 8 hours or overnight.

From here on store it in the fridge, eat it at will, and it will continue to set firmer, some watery liquid will separate from it, this is normal you can pour it off and use it as buttermilk or simply discard.  For greek style creamy yoghurt you want to hang it using a strainer and cheese cloth or clean chux for 12 hours in the fridge to allow as much of this watery liquid to drain out. To make labne cheese simply continue to hang it until its firm enough to roll into bocconcini size balls, delicious flavoured with garlic and herbs or marinated in a herb oil.  Or served sweetened too!

For your next batch remember to reserve 2 tablespoons from the previous batch.

If you like it sweet you can sweeten with sugar, agave syrup, honey, maple syrup, stevia, rapadura, fruit, or even make up a fruit syrup for example scrape the contents of 3 passion fruit or 60g fresh citrus juice into the tm bowl, add 100g raw sugar and 15g water and cook on speed 2 90degrees 3 minutes.  Strain out the seeds or leave them in.

Even when I buy the expensive bannister downs milk it still works out to be half the price of buying the yoghurt on special! If you score the 2lt milk for $2 it will cost you 1/4 the price!

Happy Cooking!
Michelle

More than one way to skin a cat

Ok slightly off on the title there, Im a cat lover really, but you know what I mean.  Tonight I'm making Fettuccine marinara and I thought I'd try and do it 100% in the Thermomix.  Usually my dinners are kind of half and half.  Usually involving Thermie + a pan to complete a meal.  Mostly I think because I'm a much bigger fan of pan fried protein than steamed, so nothing against good ol' Thermie.
There must be more than 1000 ways to make a good marinara, but I wanted it to be start to finish in Thermie, timed and delicious, and healthy too, so there was my task.

So here's what I did

1/2 a large onion
1 large clove garlic
1/2 chilli
Chop speed 7, 3 seconds
Add  1 Tbs olive oil
Cook varoma temp, speed 1, 4 minutes
Add 2 carrots (roughly quartered)
Chop speed 7, 5 seconds
Add 400g tin diced tomatoes or equivalent fresh (if using fresh, then puree again)
600g water
1 heaped Tbs tomato paste
2 Tbs TM stock
100ml white wine
1 tsp balsamic vinegar or pinch sugar
Good pinch dried herbs or 1 Tbs fresh
Cook 10 mins, 100C, speed 2



Add 450g fettuccine through the hole in the lid and set for 16 mins, varoma, speed soft, reverse.








Now prepare bottom varoma tray with assorted seafood and brocolli, and sprinkle with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and a splash of good olive oil.

Occasionally push on the pasta so that the blades take it in, I play with the reverse button at this stage too so that the pasta doesn't get stuck together, but make sure its on reverse once it has all entered the bowl.

Once it gets below lid level check how much time is left on the dial vs how much time your packet instructions say.  Mine was 14 minutes which was perfect for cooking the seafood and brocolli.  If you were using quick cook or fresh pasta you would probably want to steam your seafood 5 minutes before adding the pasta so that its all ready at the same time.

Now sit your trays on top while the pasta is cooking, and stir seafood once, around half way.







The pasta will end up around the blades, as you tip in out use your spatula to turn the blades gently and the pasta will all just fall out.  Some of the sauce was a bit stuck to the bottom as I had cooked on varoma temp, but came off easily with a chux.

This will feed 4-6 easily and is too much for the 2lt thermoserver.

I have to say, I had my doubts, I always do.... Every time I cook something in the Thermomix that I have cooked hundreds of times before with more 'traditional' methods, I never expect the result to be as good.  But it was delicious.  Topped with a bit more diced chilli, bon apetite! (and meow).