Recipe: Wondrous Whipped Yogurt

Hi! I'm Yogurt!

"I'm a creamy and tangy food, and I'm very versatile! I work with both savory and sweet dishes. I also have less fat and more protein than sour cream, but you can often cook with me in the same way!"

History & Etymology

• Yogurt's origin is undetermined. The earliest yogurts may have been spontaneously fermented by bacteria on plants or milk-producing animals. Historians believe it may have emerged during the last Stone Age, sometime between 10,000 to 4,500 BCE, when the Neolithic people began domesticating animals. 
• Ancient Grecians, Romans, and Persians ate a yogurt-like dairy product called "oxygala" (οξύγαλα). They would eat it with honey. These days people often eat plain yogurt with honey, especially Greek yogurt.  
• Greek yogurt is strained, which eliminates the whey and other liquids, causing it to be thicker and have more tang than regular yogurt. It also has two times the amount of protein. It is called Greek-style yogurt if it is thickened by adding powdered milk or another dry thickener. People with lactose intolerance may have less trouble eating it.
• In 1916, Isaac Carasso of Barcelona introduced packaged yogurt to Europe. He dubbed it Danone, his son Daniel's nickname.
• Yogurt with added fruit jam was introduced in 1933 in Prague. Dannon, the North American subsidiary of Danone, produced a fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt in 1947. 
• The word "yogurt" is from the early 17th century and is derived from the Turkish "yoğurt" (pronounced "yohght"). 

How Is it Made?

• Yogurt is a fermented dairy product made with milk. The bacteria used to ferment the milk is called the yogurt culture or starter. During fermentation, the lactose (the sugar in milk) is converted into lactic acid, which gives yogurt its tangy flavor and changes the milk protein, resulting in yogurt's texture. 
• In various parts of the world, yogurt may be made from cow's milk, the most common source, or the milk of camels, goats, sheep, water buffalo, and yaks. 
• Soy yogurt, a dairy-free alternative, is made from soy milk, which is not an animal product, as it is made from soybeans. 
• Milk is first heated to about 185 degrees F to kill undesirable bacteria and alter the milk proteins so that they set together rather than form curds. The milk is then cooled to about 113 degrees F. Next, the bacteria culture or starter is added, and the temperature is kept at 86 to 113 degrees F for 6 to 12 hours to allow fermentation. 
• If mold develops on the yogurt, toss it, as scraping off the top, visibly moldy layer does not entirely remove mold that has seeped into the rest of the yogurt. 

How to Eat It

• You can eat plain yogurt by itself or with some honey or fruit. You can also buy yogurt that has already been sweetened and with fruit or fruit jam added. 
• You can add plain yogurt to salad dressings, dips, sauces, and soups. It can add extra tang and richness to meat and poultry dishes in place of sour cream and brings tang and moisture to pancakes, cakes, and other baked goods. A fun way to eat fruit-flavored yogurt is in pies and frozen yogurt popsicles. 

Nutrition

• Yogurt is rich in protein, vitamins B12 and riboflavin (B2), and the minerals phosphorus and calcium. 
• Some studies found that eating 80 grams per day of low-fat yogurt was connected with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and aiding bone health and digestion.