Tips for Thick Curd: Useful tips to help set curd in winters (2024)

FAQs

Tips for Thick Curd: Useful tips to help set curd in winters? ›

The best way to set curd in winters is by using the casserole method. Casseroles are designed to retain heat and will keep the milk warm for long. Firstly boil the milk and let it cool down a bit. Now add 1-2 tbsp milk powder and mix well (if you are using full-fat milk, skip this step).

The best way to set curd in winters is by using the casserole method. Casseroles are designed to retain heat and will keep the milk warm for long. Firstly boil the milk and let it cool down a bit. Now add 1-2 tbsp milk powder and mix well (if you are using full-fat milk, skip this step).

Curd is basically made of lactic acid, which is created by mixing warm milk and some curd. Since, the temperature in winters is on the lower side, it slows down the bacterial activity,which makes it difficult to form curd. The best temperature for curd formation is around 37-42 degree centigrade.

Improper Temperature: Temperature plays a crucial role in curd formation. If the milk is heated to a temperature that is too high, it can kill the beneficial bacteria in the starter culture, preventing proper fermentation and curd formation.

Eggs: Eggs help the curd hold together like pudding. You will need 4 large eggs and 2 large egg YOLKS only for a total of 6 eggs in the recipe. Some recipes strictly use egg yolks and I find those curds way too rich. This recipe uses a combination of eggs and egg yolks for the ideal flavor and consistency.

The microbes present in the curd help in setting if the temperature of the mixture remains approximately between 35°C to 40°C. At places, where room temperature remains much below the range, the setting of curd becomes difficult.

Take two different bowls and shuffle the milk between them. Pour from one bowl to another at least 6-7 times. This will properly mix the milk and the curd together and also help in better frothing. Milk set after shuffling will start the fermentation process instantly.

If your yogurt doesn't set up properly the first time, try treating the failed “yogurt” like milk, and starting over. (Reheat it, add new starter, and incubate again.) The texture may suffer some, but it can save you having to throw the whole thing away.

Incubate: Place jars into cooler with water. Cover with a blanket or towel for insulation and let sit, undisturbed for 8-24 hours. You can check on the temperature of the cooler after eight hours and add more hot water if desired. I usually incubate mine for at least 12 hours and don't reheat the water.

CURDS THAT WON'T COME TOGETHER

This is often caused by improper temperatures; either you used UHT (Ultra High Temperature) pasteurized milk or your curds got too hot when you were preparing for the stretching stage, or they didn't get hot enough. The temperature of the curds before stretching should be 160° to 170°F.

How do you fix curd that didn't set? ›

Remember that curd will thicken more once cooled. If your cooled curd is not thick enough, you can reheat it to thicken. Put it over a low heat, stirring constantly. Ensure it coats the back of a spoon before taking it off the heat.

It's important to heat the milk slowly to make a creamy yogurt. Heating the milk too quickly will create a grainy texture. By doing so, you allow the proteins in the milk to denature, which in turn forms a stronger network when exposed to acid. This way, you can master how to make yogurt thicker.

(a) Inoculum which contains Lactobacillus (bacteria) is added to set milk into curd.

STRAIN THE YOGURT

Straining the yogurt removes some of the water content (whey), leaving the fats and proteins behind. The longer you drain away whey, the thicker your yogurt will become. Removing all the whey will result in a thick probiotic yogurt cream cheese.

To thicken runny lemon curd, put the curd back into your saucepan, place over the lowest possible heat, and stir constantly. The curd will thin out at first as the butter melts, but it will eventually begin to thicken back up.

Will letting milk sit in the sun produce yogurt? No sir/Madam : it will not produce yogurt per say, it will curdle though with wild bacteria and other contamination. It is may smell very bad, liquid may separate out and sometimes milk may look like a rope, depending on the contamination and wild growth.

Hot milk will kill the bacteria in the starter and you won't get a properly fermented curd. In winters or cold climates ensure that you are not adding curd culture to milk that has cooled down. If the milk is cold, then the curd won't set at all in the winters.

Curd formation happens when the milk is at the normal physiological temperature of 32-35 degrees. This is the temperature that is ideal for the growth of the Lactobacillus bacterium that promotes fermentation which results in curd formation.