Plant-based Keto, Paleo & Vegan yogurt.

Macadamia milk has a rich, smooth texture and slightly sweet flavour that serves as a fabulous substitute for dairy milk when making homemade yogurt. Due to macadamia’s high fat content, it is naturally creamier than other nut milks and makes a for a decadent and delicious keto, paleo and vegan alternative. Watch how simple it is to make macadamia milk on Luvele Life TV.

The method for making macadamia yogurt is the same as making homemade almond milk yogurt, however straining the pulp is optional. If you own a high-speed blender you will find that macadamias reduce to a smooth cream with very little grain. If you do strain, there are so many different ways to use up the left-over nut pulp. We made these savoury crackers with almond pulp, but they would work with macadamia pulp just fine!

Soaking macadamia nuts makes them softer, so they blend easily into a smooth, creamy milk but it also makes the nuts healthier. Macadamias can handle a short soak. If you are eager to get your yogurt on, a 2-hour bath is enough to soften them, but leaving them over night with a bit of salt will draw out the phytic acid and make them easier to digest.

THICKENING DAIRY-FREE YOGURT

Nut milk yogurt will not naturally thicken up while fermenting like traditional dairy yogurt. If you prefer a creamy tub set yogurt, a thickener is required. A premium powdered gelatin or agar agar are good options. Use the amount specified as a guide only. Add slightly more or less to achieve the yogurt texture you enjoy most. The yogurt pictured was made with agar.

A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR PROMOTES GOOD BACTERIA.

Make sure your homemade nut milk has a little bit of sugar in it. Unlike animal milk, nut milk doesn’t naturally contain sugar. The Yogurt starter culture needs something to feed on to allow the culturing process to take place. One teaspoon of sugar is enough to kick start fermentation.

STARTER CULTURE

You will need a yogurt starter culture or probiotic to introduce the fermentation of bacteria to your nut milk. Use the amount of starter culture indicated on the packet or one dose of probiotic. 

PREPARATION

Before you begin it is important to sterilise the Luvele yogurt making glass jar, lid, and any utensils you use, in hot water. Pouring boiling water over everything is sufficient. The danger of not sterilising is that other bacteria may overpower your starter culture and affect the quality of your yogurt.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE MACADAMIA YOGURT HERE 

INGREDIENTS

3 cups of raw unsalted macadamia nuts
Water for soaking (plus 1 teaspoon of salt to activate)
3 cups of water (for blending)
3 cups of water (for heating)
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 ½ teaspoon of Agar agar or 1 ½ tablespoons of premium gelatin powder 
Dairy free yogurt starter culture

METHOD 

1.   Place the macadamia nuts in a bowl and cover with cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt and let soak for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
2.   Pour the nuts into a colander or sieve to drain off the soaking water then rinse under cold running water to remove the salt and phytic acid.
3.   Tip the nuts into the Vibe Blender Jug, add 3 cups of water then blend on ‘nut’ mode for 60 seconds or until the nuts are a fine smooth paste.
4.   Optional step: Strain the macadamia milk through a nut milk bag into a large bowl. To make the most of the left-over pulp, you can pour the remaining 3 cups of water into the nut milk bag and strain the pulp a second time.
5.   Pour the macadamia milk into a large saucepan. If you did not strain. Add the remaining 3 cups of water.
6.   Go to your preferred thickening method below.

AGAR THICKENING METHOD
7.   Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of Agar and whisk in.
8.   Place the saucepan of macadamia milk on the stove top. Gently heat to 190⁰F (87⁰C) and hold the temperature for 10 minutes to activate the Agar. Stir regularly to prevent the milk scorching. Do not boil. A double boiler can be helpful.
9.   Remove from the heat. Let cool to below 110° F (43° C). The temperature of the milk must be below 43° C before adding the starter culture.
10.  Add the starter culture and sugar then gently whisk in. The macadamia milk is now ready for fermentation. Move to ‘incubation’

GELATIN THICKENING METHOD
11.   Pour a quarter of a cup of macadamia milk into a small bowl. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons of gelatin powder and set aside for 5 minutes to bloom. The gelatin will swell and thicken.
12.   Add the bloomed gelatin to the saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove top and gently warm to 95⁰-104⁰F (35⁰- 40⁰C) to activate the gelatin. Stir with a wire whisk to ensure the gelatin has dissolved. Gelatin must not boil. Remove from the heat.
13.   Add the starter culture and sugar then gently whisk in. Note: The temperature must be below 43° C before adding yogurt starter culture. The macadamia milk is now ready for fermentation. Move to ‘incubation’.

INCUBATION
14.  Put the lid firmly on the glass yogurt jar and place into your yogurt maker.
15.  Pour water slowly into the base. (The water must not be filled over the ‘tall line’ indicated on the inside wall of the maker). Then place the cover lid on top.
16.  Use the digital control panel to set the temperature to 38° C, the time to 12 hours and then press ‘confirm’ to begin incubation.
17.  When the fermentation is complete, turn the yogurt maker off. Remove the Luvele Yogurt Maker lid and gently lift out the glass jar of yogurt.
18.  Straight from the yogurt maker, the macadamia yogurt will be warm and may look curdled or separated. Do not worry.
19.  Place the jar in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight to set. Depending on the thickener used you may like to whisk the yogurt by hand or with a stick blender to achieve a creamy consistency.
20.  Add vanilla or sweetener of your choice. Serve and enjoy.

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