This delicious coconut milk yogurt recipe is a great choice for coconut lovers or anyone who avoids traditional dairy
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The sugar and cornstarch in the recipe are needed to feed the culture instead of the dairy sugars (lactose) normally consumed by yogurt cultures. Cornstarch also thickens and stabilizes yogurt, which is helpful given the lower protein content of coconut milk compared to cow’s milk. This recipe uses 2 liters of low-fat coconut milk sold in cardboard boxes as drinking milk, plus a richer can of canned coconut milk to create a balanced, creamy texture with moderate coconut oil content.
Yield: This recipe yields eleven servings of yogurt of 230 g.
IngredientsQuantityCoconut milk in a box (low-fat, unsweetened)2 litersCanned coconut milk400 mlSugar1/2 cup (100 g)Cornstarch1 cup (120 g)Salt1/3 teaspoonYogurt with live cultures*1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (150 g)
*This can be a coconut milk yogurt with live cultures bought at the supermarket, or live culture dairy yogurt. Alternatively, a direct-fit vegan yogurt starter can be used according to the package instructions.
Equipment: Brød & Taylor Proofer, thermometer, mason glass jars or other heatproof vessels with a capacity of a quart / a liter or less. Everything that touches the milk should be completely clean and dry.
Note: When using the Folding Proofer to make yogurt, make sure there is no water in the water tray. The water tray is not necessary to make yogurt. You can remove it from the Proofer, if you wish, or leave it empty. But do not add water because it will affect the temperature settings.
Step one: Bring the coconut mixture to a boil. Mix canned coconut milk with sugar, cornstarch and salt and beat until smooth. Whisk the half-gallon carton of low-fat coconut milk. Using the microwave or stove, boil the mixture, stirring occasionally to distribute the cornstarch and sugar and to avoid burning. Simmer and stir until thickened (mixture can still be poured). Remove from heat and cover to prevent skin from forming.
Step two: Cool to 46 ºC. Let the coconut milk mixture cool to at least 46 ºC. For faster cooling, place the container in a pan or sink with cold tap water. While the coconut milk is cooling, set the Proofer with the wire rack in place and the temperature set to 120F/49C.
Step three: Add the yogurt. Put yogurt with live cultures in a small bowl. Gradually add enough warm coconut milk mixture to blend the yogurt and mix until smooth. Then pour the liquefied culture back into the large bowl of coconut milk mixture and stir gently to distribute. Pour the milk into jars and place it in the Proofer. Tip: For proper heat circulation and the most accurate growing temperature, place the jars so that they are not directly over the center of the Proofer.
Step four: Culture at 49 ºC for one hour, then lower the heat to 30 ºC. Set a kitchen timer for an hour, after that time lower the tester to 30ºC. It is important not to let the yogurt remain at 49 ºC for more than an hour to avoid damaging the culture.
Step five: Check the yogurt after three hours. After an hour at 49ºC and two more hours at 30ºC, check the yogurt by gently tilting a jar to the side to see if it has set. Once curdled, yogurt can be removed or, for more flavor, allowed to grow longer. When the yogurt is ready, put it in the refrigerator and let it cool completely. Be sure to reserve enough yogurt to start your next batch.
