Coconut yoghurt redemption

Ever since Sara posted instructions on how to make coconut milk yoghurt, I have been keen to give it a go. Two of my favourite things, coconut and yoghurt, combined in one delicious creamy package.

I made a batch a few weeks back and was thoroughly disappointed at the result. It took AGES - I mean literally four or five days - and whilst the end product tasted yoghurty, it was still runny; really about the consistency of normal coconut milk. I like my yoghurt super-thick (which is why I have a preference for Greek style) so I wasn't thrilled with my first attempt.

I wasn't deterred however, and this week I gave it another go. The result:

 Coco-yogolicious!

I took Sara's instruction to "stand in a warm place" to heart and placed my container in the garage, where it was a toasty 30C. Twelve hours or so in there and then a stint on the kitchen bench overnight, and it was ready in about a day and a half. Where did I go wrong last time? We were in the middle of a very cool spell and I just think it wasn't warm enough to begin with. By the time I realised and warmed things up, it was too late - my probiotics were past their best.

Next time I make this in cooler weather, I'll pull out our trusty EasiYo yoghurt maker to get things happening.


In other news, it's back to work on Monday (boo!), so we've made the most of our last week of holidays with a few activities. Thursday's choice was a drive around the Yarra Valley, visiting not wineries, for which the area is most famous, but boutique breweries. I don't drink beer at all, but Bike Boy loves a craft brew, so he was in his element. For me, it was a pleasant day out with gorgeous scenery along the way...like this:

From the road above Yarra Glen, looking across the valley to the Dandenongs

We both agreed that we should do this more often. Yarra Glen is barely a 40 minute drive from home, so we really have no excuse. But next time, we'll visit some wineries and someone else can drive. ;o)