Making Soy Yogurt & Soy Labneh

I’m a big fan of yogurt but because of my allergies, I need to eat soy yogurt instead. Since I make my own soy milk with a Soya Power, I decided the next step was to make my own soy yogurt. The results were a resounding success!The initial problem I had was finding probiotics that were vegan. Since most probiotics are made from dairy, this is a problem if you have an allergy or if you choose to avoid all animal products and by-products. I found three different vegan probiotics between the PCC and Whole Foods: Natural Factors Mega Acidophilus, New Chapter All-Flora, and Solaray Multidophilus Powder. Because yogurt needs both Lactobacillus bulgaricus (or occasionally L. acidophilus) and Streptococcus thermophilus, I ended up using two different vegan probiotic formulas to make it work.

N.B.: In case someone has suggested ProGurt to you, it is NOT vegan so if you’re after something completely dairy-free, this isn’t it. From their website AIRY AND GLUTEN FREE: The highest quality and pure LAB cultures are used in this formula. The yogurt strains are recognized to have exposure to some dairy peptones (broken down molecular structures) during their fermentation. The final culture is filtered and has less then detectable levels of dairy proteins. Considered dairy-free based on the standards established in the nutritional industry. No gluten containing ingredients are used in the production of this product.

Soy Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 liter freshly made plain soy milk using 1/2 organic soybeans with water to the halfway mark of the Soya Power*
• Pinch of salt (for the soy milk)
• 1-2 T sweetener (honey, agave, maple syrup, sucanet, etc.)
• 1 t New Chapter All-Flora (vegan)
• 1 t Solaray Multidophilus Powder (vegan)
• Agar Agar bar

* Store bought plain soy milk can be used instead. If you use store bought soy milk, be sure to bring it to a boil in the microwaveOther items to have on hand:

• 1-2 liter glass container for the soy milk
• Gold coffee filter
• Salton Yogurt Maker
• Plate, spoon or 2, whisk, food thermometer, measuring spoons, small glass bowl
• Boiling water

Directions

1. First, you need to create a sterile environment. Use the boiling water and pour it into the liter glass container, through the gold coffee filter, and over the spoons, whisk, plate, the measuring spoons, the food thermometer and the internal Salton container & lid. You don’t want to mix your own bacteria into this process! I normally sterilize the plate first and put all of the other objects on top of it except the glass container which will sit to the side.
2. Place 1/4-1 bar of Agar Agar in the small glass bowl and pour enough boiling water over it to soak it through. It shouldn’t take much water to do this.
3. Next pour the soy milk from the Soya Power through the gold coffee filter into the glass container. If you took the skins off the soybeans before making the soy milk, this may not be necessary. I usually do both to ensure a very smooth milk.
4. Add the pinch of salt. Animal milk has sodium in it naturally so you need to add in a little to the soy milk.
5. Add the sweetener of your choice. Animal milk again has the necessary sweeteners built in so it’s important to add your own or the probiotics will have nothing to eat. The sweetener that you choose will greatly change the taste of your soy milk.
6. Plug the Salton Yogurt Maker in. You are allowing it to heat up while you get the rest of it together.
7. Pour the soy milk into the internal Salton Yogurt container that is sitting on the plate. Place the food thermometer in the Salton Yogurt container. I usually use the clip to attach the thermometer to the side of the container so I can see the temperature drop.
8. Wash your hands thoroughly. Then squeeze out the Agar Agar and rip it into tiny pieces placing them in the soy milk mixture in the Salton Yogurt container.
9. Let the temperature drop to 50-55ºC (122-130ºF). While you are waiting for the temperature to drop, occasionally whisk the soymilk mixture to keep the agar for gelling to quickly.
10. Once the temperature has dropped to the desired range, stir in the probiotic powders. Do not put the probiotic powders in the soy milk mixture if the temperature is greater than 55ºC. Anything hotter will kill the bacteria. The best temperature for incubation is 50ºC.
11. Place the lid on the container and put it in the Salton Yogurt Maker. Let it sit for 6-8 hours, checking at the 5 hour mark and each hour beyond for tartness and gelling. When the yogurt reaches your desired tartness and gell, unplug the Salton Yogurt maker and place the yogurt in container to put in the refrigerator.

Soy Labneh

If you’re interested in making labneh (a Middle Eastern cheese), you’ll need either unbleached cheese cloth or a Donvier cheese maker. If you are using the cheese cloth, place it inside a strainer that sits over a bowl. Put the yogurt inside the cheese cloth and wring out the initial liquid. Tie the cheese cloth putting it back in the strainer in the bowl and place all of it in the refrigerator. Check on it 1-2 hours later and all of the liquid should have drained leaving you with soy cheese! It’s even easier with a Donvier cheese maker. Simply put the yogurt inside and check on it 1-2 hours later. Labneh tastes wonderful on bread, crackers, and fruit. You can use it on bagels in the morning or in place of recipes that call for cream cheese.