Starter Cultures & Rennet

Kefir can be made using milk, soy, coconut water or fruit juice. When using milk, pasteurised full fat or low fat milk is most commonly used with this culture. Unhomogenised milk can also be used if desired. Store your Kefir sachets in the freezer to prolong life.

How to Make Kefir

• Remove all contents from the jar and clean the jar, ball and cloth thoroughly.
• Add 1 L (1 US qt) of milk to the jar, any milk is fine. The higher the fat content, the thicker the kefir will be. Alternatively, use 1 L (1 US qt) of coconut water or fruit juice.
• Add 1 sachet of culture to milk or juice, replace lid and mixing ball and shake to mix the culture through thoroughly.
• Remove metal lid, cut a square piece of cheese cloth, double layered, to cover the top of the jar. Secure with a rubber band. This allows the gas to escape during the acidification process and will protect the kefir from any foreign objects while sitting on the bench. 
• Allow the kefir to sit at room temperature (20-30˚C/68-86˚F) for 24 hours.  
• Remove cheese cloth, replace lid, and then shake the kefir vigorously, before storing the kefir in the refrigerator.
• Shake your kefir each time before pouring.

Full instructions and recipes are also included in the kit. 

Method:

1. If using fresh full fat homogenised milk, first heat the milk to boiling point in a pot on the stove. Once at boiling point, leave the milk to cool to 40°C (105°F).
2. If using UHT milk, heat the milk to 40°C (105°F) either in a pot on the stove or in your cheese vat in the microwave. 
3. Once the milk is at 40°C (105°F), sprinkle in your yoghurt culture.
4. Maintain the milk at 40°C (105°F) for 12 - 24 hours (refer to p.3) until the milk sets.
5. Once the milk has set, place it in the refrigerator and leave overnight.
6. For a thicker yoghurt, drain the yoghurt through a sterilised cheese cloth until the yoghurt has reached your desired thickness.

Full instructions and recipes are also included in the kit. 

Method:
1. Sterilise your jar, small pot, thermometer and spoon with boiling water.
2. Pour the coconut milk into your small pot, and mix until it is smooth and uniform.
3. Heat the coconut milk to 50-55°C (122-131°F) on medium heat while stirring constantly to avoid any scorching.
4. Mix the thickener and sugar in a cup. Pour out 1/2 cup of coconut milk from the pot, and mix into the dry ingredients. Use a fork to mix vigorously for about 30 seconds. Remember to keep checking that the liquid remaining in the pot is not scorching on the bottom of the pot during this time.
5. Immediately add this coconut milk with thickener mixture back to the saucepan and stir in well.
6. Heat the coconut milk under medium heat (up to 75°C/167°F) until the mixture has started to thicken. Transfer to your sterilised jar straight away.
7. Cool the milk to 40°C (104°F) by putting your jar in a cold water bath in the sink and then stir in the yoghurt culture.
8. Leave in a warm place (around 35-40°C/95-104°F), and allow the yoghurt to ferment overnight for 15-20 hours.
9. In the morning check the yoghurt is slightly sour and thick. If it does not yet have a sour tang, continue to ferment for a further 5 hours before checking again. Once ready, place in the fridge until chilled. The yoghurt will thicken even more once chilled and will become thicker over the next few days.
10. Coconut yoghurt can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Coconut yoghurt can be sweetened to taste using honey, sugar or sweetener of choice. If your coconut yoghurt separates, simply stir before serving.

1. Heat 1 litre of milk to 90°C.
2. Cool milk to 45°C by placing pan in a sink of cold water for 5 minutes.
3. Add one sachet of starter culture.
4. Pour into prepared yoghurt maker and culture at 45°C for 8 hours.
5. Chill completely before eating and consume within 7 days.

1. Heat up to 4 litres of dairy milk to the temperature specified.
2. Add a sachet of starter culture according to the recipe. 

1. Dissolve a sachet in 2 tablespoons of cold, unchlorinated water.
2. Stir gently through up to 6 litres of milk to set it into curds. 

1. Add base sachet to 1 litre of plant milk of your choice, blend well and heat to 90°C.
2. Cool milk to 45°C by placing the pan in a sink of cold water for 5 minutes.
3. Add one sachet of starter culture.
4. Pour into prepared yoghurt maker and culture at 45°C for 8 hours.
5. Chill completely before eating and consume within 7 days.

1. Add base sachet to 1 litre of plant milk of your choice, blend well and heat to 90°C.
2. Cool milk to 45°C by placing pan in a sink of cold water for 5 minutes.
3. Add one sachet of starter culture.
4. Pour into prepared yoghurt maker and culture at 45°C for 8 hours.
5. Chill completely before eating and consume within 7 days.

1. Heat up to 10 litres of dairy milk to the temperature specified.
2. Add a sachet of starter culture and culture according to the recipe. 

• Temperatures and times will vary by cheese type.
• Follow the recipe for the type of cheese you wish to make.
• Mozzarella is a difficult cheese to make authentically.
• You can make fast mozzarella in a microwave which is fine for use on pizzas and recommended for beginners.
• Parmesan is an advanced cheese and will require several months to mature in a cool and humid place like a wine fridge.

1. Heat up to 8 litres of dairy milk to the temperature specified.
2. Add a sachet of starter culture according to the recipe.