Irresistible creamy coconut yoghurt

Yoghurt… it’s so delicious and versatile. Praised for it’s health benefits due to the probiotics (good bacteria) present it has been said to aid in digestion and strengthening your immune system. But have you tried Coconut yoghurt? It is a delicious dairy free alternative to your standard yoghurt. It’s so creamy and with the slight taste of coconut it is just delicious to add to smoothies, have with breakfast or just eat spoonfuls while no one is looking. It’s surprisingly simple to make with only 3 ingredients required. Check out our recipe below and have a go at whipping up a batch yourself!

What you need

• 2 cans (400 mL) of BPA free organic coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons of Agar Agar powder (plant-based gelatin substitute)
• 1/8 teaspoon of probiotic powder

BPA Free – Keep an eye out for cans that are labelled as BPA free. BPA (Bisphenol A) is a chemical found in many plastics and the linings of canned food which some believe to be toxic – best to avoid it where possible. If you don’t already have a preferred coconut milk, taste different coconut milk brands to make sure you are using one that you enjoy as it can completely change the taste of your yoghurt. You will also need the following equipment:

• Saucepan
• Thermometer
• Jars
• Measuring spoons

Process

• Firstly, ensure all equipment is sterilized. Your main saucepan can be sterilized quite simply by (adding a cup or 2) filling it with water and boiling it for about 10 – 15 minutes
• Your other equipment can be sterilized by (putting it inside the boiling sauce pan rather than a second one) filling another saucepan with a small amount of water and placing all other equipment inside it. With the lid on, boil for approximately 15 minutes to really steam everything well and sterilize. Make sure you throw a couple of spoons in to be sterilized so you don’t contaminate your yoghurt with any stirring or spooning into jars.

• Pour the coconut milk into your saucepan (remove the water first).
• Heat the milk to approximately 80-90 degrees celsius. Do not boil the milk!
• Take the milk off the heat and stir through the agar agar powder.
• Allow the milk to cool to approximately 35 degrees celsius. (If you do not allow the milk to cool, the heat will kill the probiotic culture).
• Add the probiotic powder to the milk and stir through thoroughly.
• Pour the mixture into jars and place the lids on securely.
• Place the jars into the oven on a low heat of 40-50 degrees celsius.

• Leave the yoghurt to set in the oven for 10-12 hours. Do not disturb the jars during this time.
• After 10 hours, taste your yoghurt to see if it is to your preferred taste, if you feel it needs to be more sour, leave it to set for longer in the oven.
• Once you are happy with the taste, place the jars in the fridge to set and thicken for another 10 hours. Your yoghurt should come out a nice thick consistency.

• If you find that your yoghurt is still not thick enough, you can pour the yoghurt into a cheese cloth over a bowl and leave it to drip overnight.
• Another alternative to thicken it up is to combine it with some Chia seeds. You could even use it to make a Chia pudding – check out our delicious coconut chia pudding recipe!

Your coconut yoghurt should be deliciously creamy and make a beautiful addition to your breakfast or for a mouth-watering snack or dessert. Who needs ice cream, when you have coconut yoghurt?! Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks (if it can last that long without being eaten!)

Why not give it a go and see how easy it is to make your own dairy free yoghurt? Let us know in the comments if you are successful, it can take a little experimenting to get it to your preferred taste by using different coconut milks and letting it set for the appropriate time for your taste. But once you get that sorted, you will find it easy to regularly whip up this delicious snack so you have a constant supply of yoghurt!