Why Keep a Yoghurt and Cheese Routine?

There is a quiet satisfaction in turning a jug of milk into something that feeds the household for days. On a smallholding or in a cottage garden, where a goat, a cow, or simply a weekly delivery of local milk is part of the rhythm, making yoghurt and soft cheese is one of the simplest kitchen crafts. You need no fancy equipment, no rennet if you prefer, and no laboratory. Warm milk, a live culture, and a clean muslin cloth will do. The result is fresh, tangy yoghurt and a soft cheese that costs a fraction of the shop-bought equivalent, and uses up any surplus milk before it turns.

The Only Equipment You Really Need

Before you start, gather a few basics. Sterilise everything that will touch the milk: jars, spoons, the pan, and the muslin. A quick wash in hot soapy water, then a rinse with boiling water, is enough.

• A heavy-based pan – to heat the milk without scorching.
• A thermometer – digital or dairy. This is the one piece of kit worth buying. Guesswork leads to runny yoghurt or dead cultures.
• Clean glass jars – with lids. Kilner-style or recycled jam jars are ideal.
• A muslin cloth – unbleached, boiled, and dried. Not the flimsy stuff sold for dusting; you want a tight weave.
• A colander and a deep bowl – for draining.
• An incubator – an airing cupboard, a cool box with a hot water bottle, a wide-necked flask, or a purpose-made yoghurt maker. You need to hold 43°C for several hours.

Making Yoghurt: From Warm Milk to Set Pot

Start with whole milk for a thick, creamy set. Semi-skimmed works, but the result is thinner. UHT milk can be used straight from the carton, but fresh pasteurised milk benefits from heating. Raw milk must be heated to kill any competing bacteria.

• Step 1: Heat the milk to 82°C, stirring gently. Hold it there for a minute or two. This denatures the proteins and makes a firmer yoghurt.
• Step 2: Cool the milk to 43°C. This is the temperature at which the culture thrives. If it is too hot, you kill the bacteria; too cool, and they sulk.
• Step 3: Whisk in your starter. Use two tablespoons of live, plain yoghurt per pint (about 500ml) of milk, or a freeze-dried culture according to its instructions. Stir thoroughly.
• Step 4: Pour into sterilised jars, seal, and place in your incubator. Leave for 4 to 8 hours, or overnight. The longer it sits, the tangier it becomes.
• Step 5: Once set, chill in the fridge. Save two tablespoons of the fresh yoghurt as the starter for your next batch. It will keep for a week or two.

Soft Cheese: Draining the Curds

Soft cheese is simply yoghurt that has given up some of its whey. Line a colander with your clean muslin, set it over a deep bowl, and pour in the yoghurt. Gather the corners of the cloth, tie them into a knot, and hang the bundle over the bowl. Leave it at room temperature for 6 to 24 hours, depending on how firm you want it. Six hours gives a creamy, spreadable cheese; a full day gives something closer to a soft cream cheese that can be sliced.

For a more traditional cheese, you can also make a simple clabbered cheese. Warm a litre of milk to 22°C, stir in a tablespoon of buttermilk or a pinch of mesophilic culture, and leave it covered at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours until it sets like a junket. Then drain as above. This makes a delicate, slightly tart cheese.

Flavours, Salting and Using the Whey

Once drained, stir a little salt into the cheese – about a quarter teaspoon per 250g – and add herbs, crushed garlic, cracked pepper, or finely chopped chives. Shape into small balls or press into a tub. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week, though it rarely lasts that long.

Do not pour the whey down the sink. It is rich in protein and probiotics. Use it to make bread, soak porridge oats, add to soups and stews, or give it to pigs and poultry. In the garden, dilute it and use as a foliar feed for tomatoes and peppers.

Troubleshooting and Seasonal Notes

• Runny yoghurt: The milk was too cool, the culture was old, or you did not heat the milk to 82°C first. Try a longer incubation next time.
• Bitter or fizzy yoghurt: Over-incubated. Chill it sooner, or reduce the incubation time.
• Cheese too dry: You drained it too long. Next time, check every few hours.
• Cheese too soft: Drain longer, or add a little salt and hang it again.

In a British winter, an airing cupboard is often the perfect incubator. In summer, a cool box with a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel will hold the heat. For soft cheese, a cool larder or a north-facing windowsill works well. Always use a thermometer; your finger is not reliable. And keep everything scrupulously clean. With a little practice, you will have a steady supply of yoghurt and soft cheese, made from the milk you already have, with nothing more than warmth, time, and a clean cloth.