How To Thicken Yogurt? Easy Guide To Thicken Yogurt

MujeebMarch 15, 2023

4 minutes read

Table of Contents

For thousands of years, yogurt has been a staple of Indian cooking. This cultured dairy product is also known as yogurt.

The word comes from the Turkish word Yo*urt, which means “thick”.

In this article, you will know the answer to the query “How To Thicken Yogurt?“.

Yogurt is an extremely popular ingredient to add to desserts and baked goods, and it is available in a variety of flavors (plain, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate).

Yogurt comes in a variety of varieties, including Greek Yogurt, which is thicker than US-style regular yogurt.

The problem with plain and flavored yogurt is that its texture is liquid.

Yogurt usually runs out if it is added to recipes such as pies, cakes, or brownies.

You can solve this problem by preparing your own thickened yogurt without adding anything to it.

The following article provides several ways for thickening yogurt.

Is Runny Yogurt Safe to Eat?

There is a possibility that your yogurt is spoiled if it is runny.

When yogurt is not refrigerated for some time, the bacteria present in the fluid multiply rapidly, which produces gas as a byproduct.

So, the next question that needs to be answered is: “Is runny yogurt safe to eat?”.

There is no way to know whether homemade yogurt starter culture has been contaminated if you are using homemade yogurt.

Despite that, cultured milk can still become infected with disease-causing agents even when made from scratch.

Store-bought yogurt, however, is likely not to be spoiled to an extent if you use it for recipes.

There are two ways you will know:

Smell:

Usually, the odor of spoiled yogurt is sharp or pungent and tends to smell sour.

When there is no odor, then it can be used.

Test the freshness of your yogurt by leaving a spoonful uncovered in a warm environment for around 12 hours (hopefully overnight).

In case it changes color or develops an unpleasant odor, discards it immediately.

Taste:

Consuming spoiled food is normally not a good idea since it can cause harm.

Nevertheless, if you wish to test the quality of your yogurt, here is how you should go about it:

A spoonful of yogurt should be enough to taste it.

When your yogurt smells strange, but not sour, but does not have a strong flavor, then it may still be safe to eat.

You may have spoiled yogurt if you detect a strange smell along with a sour taste and texture.

You should discard it if there is no taste or smell and the consistency is just watery.

Even though runny yogurt is generally safe to eat, it can still spoil your next batch when used as a starter culture.

Therefore, you should discard it as well.

What to Do with Yogurt that Didn’t Set?

If your yogurt did not set, there is a problem with the recipe.

Either the starter culture you used isn’t the right type or too much heat was used in the process.

When using the incorrect starter culture, you would have to adjust the proportions of the ingredients.

To achieve consistency, try adding another culture sachet or using different brands until you find the one that works for you.

Obtaining thick and creamy yogurt might even require the purchase of a yogurt maker in some cases.

The best thing to do if your yogurt did not set due to excessive heat is to make it again.

The following suggestions will help you fix the problem:

Cheesecloth or muslin cloth can be used to line a strainer when making cultured milk.

By doing this, the contents will cool down and ferment properly.

Make sure you follow the instructions and guidelines for using a yogurt maker if you want consistent results.

How to Thicken Yogurt?

Thickening yogurt is possible by adding thickeners or drizzling in flavors.

Also, thickening agents can be added directly to yogurt before it is refrigerated to give them time to seep into and set.

1. Strain Through a Cheesecloth

It is most effective to strain the yogurt through a cheesecloth to thicken it.

By doing so, you’ll remove any unwanted lumps from the yogurt as well as thicken it.

The straining process can be accelerated if you stir continuously as it produces a consistent texture.

You can strain the liquid by tying the cheesecloth into a knot and suspending it over a bowl.

During this process, the excess whey will drip into the bowl, whereas the yogurt will stay on top.

Transferring your strained yogurt to a storage container (or freezer-safe bag, if you wish) will help you preserve it for later use.

2. Add Thickeners

During the cooking process, thickening agents such as corn starch, rice flour, tapioca flour, gelatin, and carrageenan can be added to yogurt before it is chilled.

The enzymes will be able to do their work while your yogurt is being stored in the fridge.

According to their packaging and ingredient labels, thickeners require different amounts, so follow the directions carefully.

3. Increase the Fat Content

You can also thicken your yogurt by increasing the fat content, which is another easy way for you to thicken the yogurt.

You can achieve this by substituting a part of the milk you use with heavy cream, which is naturally thicker than skimmed milk.

In addition to using buttermilk in place of regular milk, you can also use buttermilk because buttermilk has a higher level of fat in comparison to regular milk.