Does anyone know how to thicken up lowfat yogurt?

[wildeyed]

I made some last week, and it came out really runny. I tried a second batch, adding a few tablespoons of dried milk which was supposed to help thicken it up, but it was still like soup.

I made full fat yogurt all the time when my kids were babies (babies need full fat, the lowfat is bad for their kidneys). It always came out perfect. So what is the problem here? I buy lowfat yogurt from the store, and it is a nice texture. :shrug:

I would also like to make yogurt form soy milk, but I am afraid I will have the same problem.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

1. Use whole milk

And you might have an inferior starter.

But, mostly, it's the milk. The stuff you get in the stores has pectin added.

[politicat]

2. Drain it.

I drain yogurt all the time as a sub for cream cheese or sour cream. It sounds like you don't need to drain it much, but a little might help.

Using a clean flour sacking towel that was washed without perfumed soap and not treated with fabric softener, pour the quantity of yogurt you want to thicken into the middle of the towel. Draw up the corners and rubber-band together. Suspend and allow the whey to drain out.

(I use a tall glass jar and a chopstick. You can, however, put a hook in the ceiling above your sink, attach a chain and put another hook on the end of the chain.)

When it is thickened to the consistency you want it (1-4 hour makes it like sour cream, 5 to 10 makes it like cream cheese, 24 and you've got cheese-ball consistency.) take it out, scrape clean the cloth, and refrigerate again. Use within 10 days or so.