Coconut Yoghurt

Coconut yoghurt is delicious but expensive - why not make your own?

Coconut Yoghurt by Bonnie De Gros Photo: Supplied

Ingredients:

• 400-540mls of coconut cream (Ayam Premium, Trade Aid Coconut Milk or Kara UHT)
• 2 tablespoons of probiotic coconut cream yoghurt (good quality store-bought or a previous batch)
• or 3-4 probiotic capsules (4 billion microorganisms approx per cup of coconut cream)

Method:

Shake the can(s) or carton of unopened coconut cream well. Open and place into a clean glass jar.

Place two tablespoons of probiotic coconut cream yoghurt OR 3-4 probiotic capsules into the coconut cream and stir well.

Screw on the lid and leave the coconut cream to ferment in a warm spot or on the kitchen bench out of direct sunlight.

If left in a warm spot it will ferment more quickly and usually takes between 12-24 hours to develop a nice tang.

If left on the kitchen bench it can take 24-72 hours to ferment fully.

It should thicken up a little and you may see little tiny air bubbles on the sides, which is a good sign of active lactic acid bacteria.

Open the jar and test it every 12-24 hours until you like the tanginess/flavour. It will also continue to get a little more tangy in the fridge.

Place it into the fridge and allow it to chill completely before eating it. It will thicken up more once chilled.

Consume within about 7-10 days

Tips:

Some of the common problems encountered when making coconut yoghurt and what may have gone wrong:

It separated:

This can be from overheating or over fermenting. Using a yoghurt maker is a classic way to overheat and get separation. If you do want to use a yoghurt maker make sure your coconut cream mixture is at room temperature and only add hot, not boiling, water, or you may find that your mixture has separated a few hours later.
Separating can also occur when using a coconut cream which has water added to it. The water separates during fermentation and also as the cream rises to the top.

Using too many probiotics can also cause separation (4 billion microorganisms per cup of coconut cream is a good amount - check your package for this info)

The coconut cream didn't ferment:

The probiotics are likely too old or dead, which also means they aren't doing anything for your guts if you are taking them daily. This is a great way to test them!