There are a number of heirloom yogurt cultures that culture at room temperature. These mesophilic yogurt cultures are WAY easier to make than heat set yogurt.
The final yogurt isn’t exactly like store bought yogurt. It’s like comparing a heirloom tomato with a store bought beefsteak tomato, they are both good, but they aren’t exactly the same.
Types of Mesophilic Yogurt
There are a number of different mesophilic yogurt cultures, each with their own unique flavour and consistency. They come from different regions, likely arising from local variations in bacteria and yeast.
Some more common types of yogurts are:
- Filmjolk: a thick, mild and cheesy yogurt from Nordic countries
- Matsoni: a slightly thick, sour and cheese yogurt from Caucasian countries
- Viili: a gelatinous, and mild product from also from Nordic countries
The hardest part about making mesophilic yogurt is finding the culture. If you don’t know anyone who has a culture to share, then you can always buy it online
(affiliate link.)
Matsoni Yogurt
Learn all about making yogurt using a room temperature yogurt culture. Matsoni yogurt is a thick and creamy yogurt that has a mild flavour. It is a delicious and probiotic culture that is easy to make at home.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Fermented
- Cuisine: Caucasus
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp matsoni yogurt
Instructions
- Combine milk and matsoni culture in a clean glass container.
- Leave it somewhere warm for 12-24 hours (until set). It prefers temperatures between 21-25 C (70-77 F), so stash it above the fridge or beside the hot water heater.
- When it has thickened, store in the refrigerator and eat within 1 month.
Notes
- Matsoni yogurt culture can be found online (affiliate link.) Once you have it you can keep reculturing it.
- Matsoni needs to be cultured at least once a week to keep a healthy strain.
- Matsoni is thickest when we eat it within the first two days after culturing. However, if you use too much culture or leave it on the counter for too long, the whey will separate. It’s still fine to eat, but it’s not as tasty.
- To make a thicker and creamier yogurt, you can heat the milk to 80 C (176 F) to denature the whey. Then cool the milk to 25 C (77 F) before stirring in the culture.
Keywords: mesophilic, no yogurt maker, room temperature, probiotic, snack, dessert, gluten free, keto, whole 30, anti-candida
Hi Emillie,
Where do you find the culture for matsoni yogurt? That sounds intriguing.
I don’t have matsoni culture right now… but I might know some who does. I’ll connect you in Facebook.
I can vouch for how good Matsoni is. Alas, I have limited space and funds for the milk, and am committed to culturing both kefir and filmjolk, so it was a one-time treat for me, but one I will cheerfully restart if I’m ever able.
★★★★★
Thanks! Look forward to it.
I used to livein Georgia, and I absolutely love matsoni! We used to trade our neighbours fresh matsoni and homemade cheese for our Swedish cinnamon buns up in Svaneti. Their cow often roamed our garden and most afternoons we had to make a show of chasing her back to their garden. Not that we minded her, but they were quite worried we’d find the cow a nuisance. That matsoni was divine, and I’m afraid the cultures one can find on the internet just won’t do. All the matsoni I tasted in Georgia (apart from the bland supermarket versions) were quite yeasty, and very tangy. They were way thicker than Swedish filmjölk, which Iove too.
I got my matsoni culture from a friend, and I don’t know how it compares to real Georgian Matsoni or store-bought culture. However, it isn’t that sour, so perhaps more like what you find on the internet? My husband is of Georgian heritage and visiting is definitely on our bucket list! Maybe I’ll bring back some real matsoni culture. Thanks for sharing.