Raib dyal Dar - Homemade Yogurt - Yaourt Maison

Yogurt (raib) is extremely popular in Morocco, and although it can be purchased in supermarkets, neighborhood dairy shops and from street vendors, many people choose to make their own.

This particular homemade yogurt (raib dyal dar oryaourt maison) recipe was taught to me many years ago by a Moroccan woman named Aicha. It is very similar to other modern homemade yogurt recipes except that Aicha's version includes the addition of powdered milk and a vegetable rennet tablet (Caille-Lait Universel) for thicker texture and speedier coagulation. I am listing them as optional ingredients since they really aren't necessary.

Although UHT milk (ultra-pasteurized at high temperature) is very common in Morocco, it is not recommended for yogurt or cheese making. Use fresh raw milk or fresh pasteurized milk instead. Whole milk will yield the creamiest texture.

Note that this recipe is for bacteria-fermented and heat-incubated yogurt, which should not be confused with Raib Beldi, a yogurt-like Moroccan junket which is coagulated with plant enzymes.

Also try some other classic Moroccan dairy treats:Almond Milkshake, Avocado Milkshake and Moroccan Rice Pudding.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Incubation : 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours, 25 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 liter (or 1 quart) whole milk
• 25 g (1/3) cup dry whole milk (optional)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
• 1 Caille-Lait Universel tablet (optional)
• 110 g (1/2 cup) plain, unflavored yogurt (yaourt nature)
• 1 or 2 teaspoons vanilla or 1 teaspoon orange flower water

Preparation:

Make the Yogurt

Place the milk in a pot and stir in the powdered milk if using. Heat the milk to just under a boil and remove it from the heat. Stir in the sugar and set the milk aside to cool a bit, stirring occasionally, until it is still hot but not painful to the touch (about 110°F / 43°C).

If using the Caille-Lait tablet, crush it to a powder and combine it with the yogurt in a small bowl. Gradually thin the yogurt by stirring in few spoonfuls of the milk at a time, until the mixture is thin enough to pour easily. Add the yogurt mixture to the hot milk and stir to ensure that it has mixed in evenly. Stir in the vanilla, orange flower water or other flavoring.

Strain the mixture into individual glass bowls or a casserole, cover and incubate in a yogurt maker or according to one of the methods below.

Incubate the Yogurt

The milk must be kept warm for an extended period in order for the bacteria to grow and coagulate the milk. The longer the milk sits, the thicker and tarter in flavor it will become. Generally you should allow for a minimum of four hours but at a lower temperature you can leave the yogurt to set overnight. Try not to disturb or jiggle the yogurt while it sets.

You can incubate the yogurt without a yogurt machine in a number of ways:

• In a pre-warmed pressure cooker: While the milk is initially heating, place 1 liter of water in a large pressure cooker. Heat over high heat until pressure is achieved. Remove from the heat and release the pressure. When ready to incubate the yogurt, empty the water from the pressure cooker and place the yogurt inside. Cover and leave to incubate off the heat for 5 hours or to desired consistency.
• In a preheated oven during the day: Heat your oven to 115°F / 45°C and turn off. Wrap the covered yogurt in a thick layer of towels and place in the warm oven. Leave undisturbed for at least 4 hours. Check the consistency of the yogurt and leave for another hour or two if you'd like it thicker.
• In an oven overnight: The oven light and a hot water bottle is often sufficient heat for overnight incubation. Wrap the covered yogurt in a towel or two and place in the oven with a hot water bottle. Leave the oven light on while the yogurt incubates overnight.
• In a crock-pot: Heat some water in a crock-pot or electric slow cooker to 115°F / 45°C. Turn off the cooker and empty out the water. Cover the yogurt with a towel and place inside the crock-pot. Cover the cooker with another towel and leave the yogurt to incubate.
• In a cooler: Prepare a hot water bottle. Wrap the yogurt with a towel and place it in a cooler along with the hot water bottle. Cover and leave to incubate for 4 to 6 hours, or until desired consistency.
• In a microwave: Same as the cooler method above. Prepare a hot water bottle and place in a microwave (turned off, of course) with the towel-wrapped yogurt. The small space will help hold the heat from the water bottle. Incubate for as long as overnight.
• In a warm, sunny spot: Wrap the yogurt in a thick layer of towels and place in a warm, sunny place. Or, fill a container large enough to hold your yogurt container with an inch of hot water. Place the covered yogurt in the hot water bath, cover with a towel, and place in a sunny spot. Incubate to desired consistency.

Refrigerate the Yogurt

Transfer the fully incubated yogurt to the refrigerator. Allowing it to chill in the same container in which it incubated is said to yield a creamier texture.