NON-DAIRY MILK VS. DAIRY MILK
The composition of alternative milks is considerably different from that of dairy milk. While you can culture alternative milks with yogurt starters, these cultures won’t survive for long in the alternative milks. To make yogurt with alternative milks, you must use a new starter each time since the starter cultures cannot be re-cultured without the properties of dairy milk.
CHOOSING ALTERNATIVE, NON-DAIRY MILKS
Most alternative milks can be purchased commercially; however, they often contain additives that can interfere with the culturing process. Whenever possible, use milks without additives or preservatives. While nearly any non-dairy milk can be cultured, we do not recommend culturing with commercial almond milk.
The best way to ensure you have additive-free and preservative-free milk is to make your own.
MAKING YOUR OWN ALTERNATIVE MILKS
It is fairly easy to make your own alternative milk. Click the following links to learn how to make each type of alternative milk:
- Cashew Milk
- Homemade Coconut Milk
- Hemp Milk
- Rice Milk
- Sunflower Seed Milk
- Soy Milk
-
Raw Nut Milk (almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, macadamia, walnuts)
NON-DAIRY YOGURT RECIPES
Once you've selected a milk to make, you can use this alternative milk to make homemade yogurt using one of the recipes below.
- Hemp Milk Yogurt
- Raw Almond Milk Yogurt
- Coconut Milk Yogurt using Gelatin as Thickener
- Coconut, Rice, or Soy Milk Yogurt using Pectin as Thickener
All of these recipes use the Vegan Yogurt Starter Culture. Keep in mind that yogurt made with non-dairy milks often does not set until chilled and may require additional thickeners to achieve a consistency similar to store-bought yogurts.
