How to Make Soy Yogurt in Your Slow Cooker

Making soy yogurt at home is an inexpensive way to enjoy the health benefits of soy. Soy yogurt can be used in recipes that call for dairy yogurt. It can also be enjoyed all on its own with a little honey and fruit added. Using a slow cooker as an incubator for your soy yogurt adds convenience to this method.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 6 cups of cold soy milk (homemade or store bought)
• 4 cups of boiling hot soy milk (homemade or store bought)
• 1 packet of dairy-free yogurt culture (available at health food stores)
• 1/2 cup of tapioca or potato starch
• 1 1/2 tsp of agar agar powder (from health food store)
• large slow-cooker or crock pot
• small canning jars with lids(jelly size)
• clean kitchen towel
• large saucepan
• candy thermometer
• wooden spoon

1. Make sure all of your jars are clean. You may wish to sterilize them first. Dry them and set aside.

2. In the saucepan, stir together a cup of the cold soy milk with the agar and starch, until it is no longer lumpy. Add to it 3 cups of the hot soy milk and stir until blended. Allow to cook over medium heat until it has thickened.

3. Add the remaining soy milk (hot and cold) and stir until the temperature is around 115 degrees. Then add your active cultures. Make sure the temperature of the milk mix is no hotter than 115, or else it will kill your bacteria!

4. Pour milk into the jars and cover with lids (do not screw on caps). Place jars into slow cooker with a folded kitchen towel placed on the bottom as a cushion. Put lid onto the slow cooker and set it on "warm". Allow the jars to rest for 10-12 hours.

5. Remove from slow cooker and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before eating.

Tips & Warnings

• Use fresh soy milk whenever possible for best flavor.
• Try adding fruit puree or jam into fresh yogurt.
• Add salt or sweetener of your choice to soy milk to alter yogurt's flavor.
• Make sure all utensils are clean prior to making yogurt.
• Do not use screw on lids with jars when placing inside slow cooker.

[vegannatasha]

on 10/4/2009 This recipe is so good!