Creamy Mesophilic Yogurt from young coconut meat, rich coconut milk, and heirloom starter. Room temp culture makes future batches. Dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan.
Drain thawed young coconut meat in a colander and save coconut water.
Place young coconut meat in a Vitamix (preferred) or high-speed blender. Add thawed, rich coconut milk and blend on high speed until very smooth.
If needed, add coconut water from drained coconut meat so that yogurt turns freely in the blades. Your mixture can be slightly thinner than you want your finished yogurt to be. I aim for a melted ice cream consistency. Coconut mesophilic yogurt will thicken after it is chilled.
For thicker, Greek-style yogurt, leave out the coconut water. Substitute rich coconut milk if necessary to blend young coconut meat.
Continue blending until very smooth. If the mixture gets warmer than 105 degrees, place it in the refrigerator to cool before adding Positively Probiotic culture. Temperatures above 105 can harm mesophilic cultures.
Once yogurt is the right consistency, turn the blender down to low speed. With blades moving, add ¼ tsp. of Positively Probiotic mesophilic coconut yogurt culture (for the first batch) or 2 tablespoons yogurt (for successive batches). Blend briefly to mix in culture.
Ferment
Pour yogurt into a glass bowl. Allow an inch at the top for expansion. Cover with a plate.
Set yogurt on the countertop out of direct sunlight. Leave undisturbed to culture.
The first batch of mesophilic yogurt may take up to 10- 24 hours to become tangy and rich with healthy probiotics. This varies a great deal with climate. Future batches finish in as little as 8 hours in a warm climate.
Before the yogurt becomes tangy, it will become fluffy and expand a little. That is a good sign. Use it as a signal to taste your yogurt to see if it is tart enough.
When it is a little milder than you want the finished recipe to be, stir it down and refrigerate. It will grow more sour and thicken as it chills.
Serve
Chill yogurt for 6 hours or overnight before using.
Store
Coconut mesophilic yogurt keeps well for two weeks and freezes for 3 months. For best results, take a small amount out and start a new batch of yogurt every week.
Notes
IngredientsCoconut - Ethnic markets that carry Filipino foods are a good source for frozen young coconut meat and milk.Mesophilic starter - Here is a link to order vegan coconut-based culture: PositivelyProbiotic.com. EquipmentA Vitamix or similar high-powered machine makes the smoothest yogurt, but a regular blender is fine if you don't mind a little coconut texture to your yogurt.PreparationBe sure to keep the mixture lukewarm at most while mixing. The ideal temperate for mesophilic cultures is 77-86 degrees. Temperatures lower than 50 degrees or higher than 108 will stop the growth of beneficial bacteria.Coconut water to thin yogurt is optional. If you want Greek-style coconut yogurt, leave it out or use rich, fresh frozen coconut milk in its place.Store unused mesophilic starter in the freezer. Warm the package at room temperature until the starter is pliable and can be scooped with a measuring spoon.