I figured with all my talk of GAPS I should give you some recipes. In case you’re thinking of starting the GAPS journey yourself or want to add a few new dishes to your repertoire. Yoghurt/sour cream is a wholesome place to start.

Why make yoghurt? I mean, let’s be candid. There is a whole fridge at the supermarket dedicated to this fermented dairy snack. There are the boutique yoghurt shops and ‘Fro-yo’ joints on every corner. And for those who choose not to dairy – for health reasons or otherwise – there is yoghurt made from nuts and/or coconuts. Surely one of these is going to the fit the perfect bill of health, right?

I’m not going to say that there aren’t awesome people making awesome yoghurts. I’ve been to farms and seen yoghurt being made. I’ve emailed farmers and grilled them about their products (in a polite manner I promise). However one thing that doesn’t often occur is the 24 hour fermentation process.

It takes 24 hours for the fermentation process to eat up the majority of the lactose (milk sugar that can cause digestive upset in those with diminished enzyme production) in the yoghurt. After 24 hours you are left with a virtually lactose-free (those with dairy protein allergies still need to steer clear) yoghurt, that can be dripped through a cheesecloth (or nut milk bag) so that you end up with a whey (probiotic liquid) and thick yoghurt (a.k.a Labne or yoghurt cheese – tastes like cream cheese).

This yoghurt is full to the brim with probiotic goodness and creamy deliciousness. I like it because it …

• is easier to digest than shop-bought yoghurt
• doesn’t have any weird ingredients such as thickeners, sweeteners or emulsifiers
• is cheaper than buying yoghurt – a litre of milk is cheaper than a litre of yoghurt
• is satisfying to make – I think its the involvement of a thermometer and checking the temperature at the beginning, like “oh, how very Martha Stewart of me”
• is thicker than any other yoghurt – I like a thick, ‘dollop cream’ consistency for swirling through granola or trail mix or dolloping on lamb chops with plenty of chives for a savoury affair

And now, for the important part … the actual recipe!

Yogurt & Sour Cream

• 1 litre of organic, non-homogenized milk (must be non-homogenized as the homogenization process changes the nutritional structure of the milk) or 1 litre of pure (no thickeners, additives, sugars) cream if you want a homemade sour cream instead  (this stuff is dangerously good stirred through a cup of sauerkraut as a snack – just saying)
• 1/3 cup organic, plain yoghurt (used as starter culture – once you have a batch of your own you can use a 1/3 cup of that)

Method

• Pour milk (or cream) into a saucepan and heat to 80 degrees C (use a thermometer to check temperature)
• Transfer the pan to a sink half-filled with cold water (this is to bring the temperature down quickly to 45 degrees C)
• Stir the yoghurt into the milk
• Transfer the pan to a dehydrator and leave at 45 degrees C for 24 hours
• Once the yoghurt has fermented, line a sieve with a nut milk bag and pour yoghurt in to the bag (sit the sieve over a large bowl to catch the whey) – skip the dripping process if making sour cream, it will already be nice and thick
• Drip the yoghurt for a few hours to separate the curd from whey (just like little miss muffet would have done)
• Transfer whey to a jar and the curd to a bowl, or individual jars. Cover and store in fridge

You can add they whey to slightly cooled soups for tang and use the curd in the following ways;

• paired with a nut/seed mix
• with berries
• or stewed apples
• plain with honey as a dessert or snack
• as a dressing for steamed veggies
• mixed with herbs and dolloped on meatballs or lamb chops
• or my personal fave; stirred through sauerkraut. This is extra delicious with the sour cream variation

Notes

• You can make a double or triple batch by modifying the recipe i.e 2 litres of milk, 2/3 cup yoghurt etc.
• Not sure 100% how long it lasts but I wouldn’t worry as it should go pretty quickly – but I’d try to use within 3 weeks to be safe
• I’m sorry that the recipe includes a dehydrator. I know that many people don’t have one. You could use a very low oven instead. Or you can contact me and I’ll send you a coconut yoghurt recipe that you can make on your kitchen counter without fancy tools.
• I use Paris Farm Creek Dairy from South Australia – the farmers  treat their cows like members of the family. Their milk is rich and creamy – just like milk is supposed to be. They aren’t sponsoring me, promise
• Sour Cream is beaut for people prone to constipation; the fatty acid profile can soothe and lubricate the bowel. Yoghurt can be too high in whey and casein proteins for some people. Listen to your intuition and choose whichever feels right – both are versatile and delicious