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January 6, 2011

Coconut Yoghurt


I really like yogurt.

Unfortunately dairy doesn't like me, well the lactose part anyway. I do manage to get away with some goat and sheep products which is great, but I'm not a fan of sheep milk yogurt. It works well in cooking and as a dip (see my post on Labne), and is smooth and rich, but it just has a savoury tang that I can't reconcile with my taste buds when it comes to 'sweet' foods.


I have heard some rumours about a coconut yoghurt, and my sister saw some in Queensland, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere. I was intrigued. I couldn't really imagine the flavour, but my family is very fond of coconut anyway, so I wanted to give it a try.


I am the proud owner of an EasiYo yoghurt maker. It's the best and easiest way to make fresh, yummy yoghurt at home and in only a few simple steps. EasiYo also sell packets of many different yoghurt bases in all types of styles and flavours, but you can just 'seed' a new batch with some plain yoghurt. * EasiYo is NOT lactose free, but I use lactase enzyme drops from the health food shop or chemist to mix into it to break down the lactose for me. I've been making this stuff for years, and now the kids can do it for themselves, it's so easy.



Anyway, after that unsolicited advertisement, I wondered if it would be just as simple to make coconut yoghurt? If I substituted coconut milk for plain milk? My only issue was the starter. I needed 1/4 cup of yoghurt to start the culturing process off. I only had 'normal' yoghurt available, but I figured I would give it a try, just to see if it worked. Next time of course, I could use lactose free yoghurt and just keep seeding one batch with the previous one, after a few generations I think it would eventually be dairy free as well. Enough for me anyway, your body is your responsibility and you know what works for you.






Step 1. Place 1/4 cup plain yoghurt in EasiYo maker insert


Step 2. Pour in 2 tins of coconut milk or cream - this is about 800ml. Screw on lid tightly and shake, shake, shake while dancing round the kitchen for a minute or so


Step 3. Place in EasiYo thermos, fill with boiling water to top line and put on lid


Step 4. Leave for about 12 hours, then remove the insert jar and put in the fridge to set.


I usually make my yoghurt first thing in the morning, leave it all day, then place in the fridge overnight. This way it's fresh and ready for breakfast.


The yoghurt maker is quite simple really, it's just a plastic jar that sits on a ring inside a thermos, allowing the boiling water to completely surround it. It allows the heat to gently kick off the culturing and sits quietly on the bench minding it's own business, not needing any electricity or batteries, just emitting a slight healthy smugness as it digests the yumminess inside.


And the result of this experiment? A jar full of coconutty joy! Smooth, silky and creamy with a yummy tang. I had a big bowl of it on it's own, I had it with my breakfast muesli, it would be great as a side to a curry too.
The only drawback is that it's not as thick as normal yoghurt, a bit thinner than fruit flavoured ones. I did a bit of (belated) research, and most people seem to add a gum or gelatine thickener to their batch. I don't think I'll bother with that though, it tastes good and that's the main thing for me!

So Readers, what is more important to you, style or substance?























32 comments:

  1. wow - I am impressed that you make your own yoghurt to fit your dietary requirements! BRILLIANT!! And, I bet this coconut yoghurt was delish!!!

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  2. Oh yes, they've got one of these out at the family farm & I love brekkies there with their fresh yoghurts & bircher mueslies, drool, droool :) Very cool trick trying out the coconut yoghurt though, it'd be luurrvly with curry I agree.
    I think it'd be a tough one & depends on where I'd be presenting the dish..., style or substance... at home, definatly substance.... at work... probably style :)

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  3. What a clever idea making a coconut yogurt! That way it is vegan too (I'm not fond of the soy yogurt that I've tried). Thanks you intrepid food explorer you! ;)

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  4. We love yogurt and probably does everybody else here as it is a national stable. Runny yogurt to thick yogurts they eat it all the most prized being one made in the village. Thin yogurts are not a new thing here and it is usually used for soups or drinking. Getting anyone here to eat a fruit flavored yogurt would be a miracle. I love those yogurt makers they are so easy but as you said it is just as easy to make your own with a bit of yogurt and some scaled milk. Just wrap it all up in a blanket overnight. Coconut yogurt would be divine I might try and make some using desciated coconut.

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  5. Coconut yoghurt! Interesting. You got my attention here. :)

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  6. Yum! I actually am dying to make my own yogurt myself, even bought a bottle of starter :)
    And happy New year to you!

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  7. I love my Easiyo Maker. I've made 2 batched in the last couple days and they are almost all gone!

    I have never thought about making yogurt from Coconut Milk - it sounds great!

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  8. Wow, I have never eard of coconut yogurt before - incredible! I do like thick yogurt but taste is the MOST important thing! Happy New Year.

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  9. Coconut yoghurt? That sounds brilliant! Might have to try and steal the Easiyo maker away from Pete long enough to have a crack.. :)

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  10. Coconut "yogurt" does sounds very interesting. I miss yogurt too...particularly on a hot day when I think a lassie (indian yogurt drink, not big hairy dog) would be really nice and refreshing. I end up being forced to make myself a cocktail with lots of limes and tequila and....that is another story....

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  11. I too have an easiyo and am going to try this one. Thanks for the great post :)

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  12. My mom uses to make fresh yoghurt with her yoghurt maker once a week, and every morning she eats a bowl of yoghurt with fruit and a handful of sunflower seeds or walnuts. I'm excited the yoghurt maker works with coconut milk as well! And even almond milk, maybe?

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  13. Ooh, how interesting! I totally fell in love with Gippsland yoghurt and now have 4 tubs in the fridge, but I think it may be too full of lactose for you!

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  14. Hi lovely Readers,
    I'm not a huge fan of soy milk or yoghurt either, and found this to be a nice change of taste. If you love yoghurt, an EasiYo is a really good investment for only about $25, and available at some Coles, Woolies and Kmart.
    You don't have to use the pre-mixes, but they have so many to choose from, even icecream mixes, at a very cheap price. I have to admit that I like to do my own thing, as you may have noticed, but it's a good place to sart.
    Hope you have a lovely day!

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  15. Aren't you a clever cookie!! I love coconut yoghurt, why not make my own?! Love it :)
    Heidi xo

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  16. Hi Intolerant Chef and others. I can't believe I have been searching the net for over a week looking for a way to make coconut yoghurt in my Easiyo and just now I found your site. And you live in Canberra and so does my son and his family, what a coincidence. I live in sunny Queensland and am just off now to try this recipe. I make the Easiyo Greek and love it's thick texture, but just to be able to have coconut yoghurt now that I have been a coconut oil/milk convert for just over a month makes me one very happy camper. I have lost 12.4 kgs in 12 weeks by giving up flour and sugar and processed foods and the difference just in four weeks using coconut oil etc has been astonishing to me. Love your site and will be bake later. Thanks for sharing.

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  17. Made the coconut yoghurt yesterday afternoon, using 1/4 cup of easyio greek yoghurt as the starter and two cans of cn milk. It didn't set at all, just stayed like cn milk, even after 8 hours in the fridge. Has anyone else had the same thing happen. ITC, I know you said it was not as thick as normal yoghurt, but I didn't expect it to be just like coconut milk. Tonight, I added 1.5 tbls chia seeds to 200ml of the yoghurt mix, added 1 tbls of Banaban Coconut Crunch and half a small banana and had it for dinner. It was lovely even though not yoghurt.

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    1. Hi Christine, my yoghurt was certainly thicker than that. Perhaps your starter needed to be stronger or fresher as I know it works better with fresh culture? Good luck!

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  18. Thanks Intolerant Chef. My starter was from a batch which was more than a few days old so that could be the problem. Would adding more than a quarter of a cup of starter make it thicker or would it not work? Anyway, as I said last night, I am still using it and it is lovely. Thanks for your help.

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  19. So excited to have found this post, purchased all ingredients and equipment and will be making it soon. How long do you think the coconut yoghurt would keep for?

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    1. I really don't know Jen sorry, we never let it get past 3 days before we gobble it up :)

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    2. I can see why, it was so delicious and the EasiYo makes it just about fool proof

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  20. I'm going to attempt this tonight. My boys and I are dairy free and really miss eating yoghurt. We use almond/rice/soy milk for drinking & recipes and have decided to try coconut milk as well. We use a goat's cheese for our everyday cheese and a sheep's fetta for other dishes that require "fetta"...they are both delicious but expensive. I just brought an Easiyo a few days back and made a batch of plain Vanilla yoghurt that was so yummy but have been searching madly for a coconut or goat's yoghurt that was dairy free. This is close enough...so will give it a go. Thank you so much for sharing = )

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    1. Hi Kristin, I'd love to know how you get on- happy cooking!

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  21. Hi I'm a little confused. What is "seeding" You state to add lactose enzyme drops. Further down follow steps 1,2,3. Do you add the drops & when.
    Thank You Natasha

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    1. Hi Natasha, you can buy Lactese drops at our chemist to put into regular milk to convert it to lactose free. You would need to follow the instructions, or you can now buy lactose free milk at the supermarket instead .
      By seeding, I mean using an amount of already made yoghurt to start or 'seed' the next batch of milk with the good bacteria to turn it into yogurt as well. Kinda like using a sourdough starter I guess.
      Hope this helps, let me know how it goes!

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  22. Hi, I made this yoghurt last night/ today, it has been in fridge 7 hours now and is still runny. I followed your instructions and used Greek natural yoghurt as a started. Is there anything I can do to thicken it up? Or just use it in smoothies.

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  23. Hi Tanya, I had another reader who had the same problem. She added some chia seeds to hers to thicken it, there are others on the net with other recipes who add gelatine or gums. It does seem to be a bit hit and miss for some reason, perhaps try using half the amount of coconut milk? I hope it works out for you

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    1. Lovely Lorraine at Not Quite Nigella adds a tablespoon or two of cornflour to the mix before she incubates it to make it nice and thick, perhaps you choose give that a try. Let me know how that goes for you xo

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  24. Hi I have a relative who is dairy sensitive and was going to suggest this to her but was wondering about the yoghurt you use as a starter. this is dairy based I assume. If I was to get an actual coconut yoghurt instead would this still work?

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    1. The coconut yoghurt as a starter is fine, it's all about the culture. Shop coconut yoghurt has thickeners added,so stirring through some chia seeds when done can be a way to make this one thicker

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