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Homemade coconut yogurt thickened with gelatin
Dairy free and gut loving.
For those on a dairy-free diet, coconut milk yogurt is a delicious alternative that can be made easily at home in a yogurt maker and will satisfy your desire for yogurt. Homemade coconut yogurt thickened with gelatin is creamy and thick with a mild coconut flavour and a pleasant slightly sour taste.
THICKENING COCONUT YOGURT
If you have ventured into making homemade coconut yogurt, you’ve probably discovered that it’s not easy to achieve the texture of store-bought coconut yogurt. Coconut milk (or cream) doesn’t have the same protein, sugar, and fat structure as animal milk, so it will not naturally thicken during fermentation. To achieve a yogurt-like texture, the coconut mixture needs a thickening agent. Store-bought varieties add emulsifiers and gums. In this method we use gelatin.
For other dairy-free thickening agents and instructions go to, ‘How to thicken homemade plant-based yogurt’.
WHAT IS GELATIN?
Gelatin is basically the cooked form of collagen - a protein contained in the skin of animals. Collagen is known to benefit your skin, muscles, bones, tendons, brain, and heart, plus it has impressive gut healing properties. Gelatin is the only thickener permitted on gut healing protocols such as GAPS and SCD. Quality and source matters, so use a premium quality powdered gelatin. The amount specified in this recipe is a guide only. Too much gelatin will set your coconut yogurt into jelly. Experiment and add more (or less) to achieve your preferred yogurt consistency.
Gelatin can be tricky to whisk into a large quantity of liquid without clumps forming. To integrate more easily, expand the gelatin in a smaller quantity of coconut milk first.
For a vegan alternative, agar agar works just as well, see the end of this post for instructions.
WHAT KIND OF COCONUT MILK SHOULD I USE?
Finding the perfect canned coconut milk in your region is a matter of experimentation. Always choose a brand that you enjoy the taste of, as this will determine the flavour of your finished yogurt.
Many varieties of both coconut milk and coconut cream contain stabilisers and gelling agents that may interfere with the yogurt culturing process. We recommend you choose a brand that lists ‘coconut pulp’ or ‘coconut extract’ as it’s one and only ingredient - no gums, carrageenan or other additives. Some readers find using a combination of coconut cream and milk lends creamier results.
You’ll also want to avoid coconut milk that contains coconut oil. Unfortunately, the percentage of coconut oil is never specified in the ingredients list. In cool weather, coconut oil sets as a hard layer at the top of the can. This coconut oil will similarly set hard on top of your yogurt once refrigerated, and although it’s good for you, it adds an unpleasant texture to the yogurt. If you end up with a layer of hard coconut oil on top of your homemade yogurt, lift it off rather than stirring it through.
COCONUT MILK WILL SEPARATE - DON'T PANIC!
Straight from the yogurt maker your homemade coconut yogurt will not look like the smooth, bright-white, store-bought varieties. Many canned coconut milk varieties will separate, even after fermentation. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate from the coconut water. (see the picture below) Don't panic - there is nothing wrong! Depending on the brand of coconut milk you use, the water may be yellowish, and you might even get a fine layer of solid coconut oil right on top of the cream. No problem - you can lift this off after it has chilled.
FEED THE BACTERIA SUGAR
In traditional dairy milk yoghurt, the bacteria in starter culture thrive on the sugar (lactose) content, naturally found in milk. The bacteria populating your coconut yogurt must have something to feed on to allow the culturing process to take place. One teaspoon of sugar (or 1 tablespoon of pasteurised honey)is enough to kick start fermentation, but don’t worry, this will be completely consumed by the bacteria during fermentation.
FERMENTATION TIME
While dairy yogurt can be fermented for up to 36 hours, coconut milk (and other plant-based milks) are sensitive to spoiling if fermented longer than 24-hours. To avoid disappointment, we recommend incubating for 15 hours.
VEGAN OPTION
Use one teaspoon of agar agar for every 4 cups plant-based milk before heating and culturing. Agar agar must be heated to 190⁰F (87⁰C) and held at that temperature for 5 minutes. Allow the milk to cool below 108°F (42° C) before adding thestarter culture and sugar. 1 teaspoon is a guide only. Some agar agar is a fine powder while others are flakes. Flakes may require more - experiment and add more or less on your next batch to get the consistency you enjoy most.
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