Organic Bulgarian Yoghurt Starter
Bulgaria has a long history of yoghurt making dating back over 4000 years. Many consider it to be the motherland of yoghurt as we know it today. Our organic Bulgarian yoghurt starter is a heirloom variety, meaning you can reculture it time and time again from our initial starter culture. This culutre differs from our mesophillic (room temperature) range because it requires heat to ferment. This is a thermophilic yoghurt. It requires a yoghurt maker to be able to work with the culture. These can be picked up online reasonably cheap (less than £20). If you are looking for a thicker, more traditional style yoghurt, our organic Bulgarian yoghurt starter is a great place to start.
It produces a wonderfully creamy, slightly tart yoghurt with a great overall thickness. The flavour of Bulgarian yoghurt is very special. We quickly fell in love with this culture and it has become a daily part of our lives here ever since discovering it. It contains two specific strains of bacteria, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus (often simply called Lactobacillus bulgaricus) and Streptococcus salivarius subspecies thermophilus (often shortened to Streptococcus thermophilus). If you are looking for a yoghurt with a similar thickness to that of supermarket yoghurt, you will love this variety.
Hello there. I want to make 6 litres of yogurt at once. how much of the starter culture do I need? 6 packets? 1 per litre?
I have just made my first batch and I must have left it too long as it has split. Could you advise on when the yoghurt is considered to have ‘set’? I kept wobbling my tray and it still looked quite liquid. I let the yoghurt ferment for about 9 hours. Even the curd part now is only about as thick as a normal yoghurt. Any advice please?
How does this differ from Greek culture if it contains the same bacteria please?
Different amounts of bacteria give it a different texture.
Can I use lactose free milk with the starter? Thanks
Lactose is the primary food source for the bacteria so people have limited success with lactose-free milk I’m afraid!
No instructions with package or on line .
Hi, instructions can be found here: https://freshlyfermented.co.uk/instructions/bulgarian-yoghurt-starter-instructions/
I tried using goat’s milk, but decided I prefer cow’s milk. Is it OK to use starter containing goat’s milk in future cow’s milk yoghurt batches, or should I start again?
Hi Laura, it’s fine to change milk with the starter. Any animal milk will work fine with these starters. Thanks Lisa
I accidentally mixed my Bulgarian and Greek yoghurt cultures. Is this an issue?
Hi Sandra, all that will happen is that the bacteria will combine and become a mixture. It’s not a problem unless you’re not happy with it like that. It is safe to eat. Thanks Lisa