The starter culture for the type of yoghurt known as Filbunke or Finnish Viili, which is a delicious mild yoghurt characterised by a viscous, gel-like and stringy texture. The yoghurt probably originated somewhere between the 13th and 19th centuries from what we called filbunke.
Filbunke starter culture is a mesophilic starter that can be made at room temperature – no yoghurt maker is needed.
Contents: milk powder, starter cultures (active lactic acid cultures of microorganisms including Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus Kefir, Streptococcus Thermophilus, Lactobacillus Casei and Lactococcus Helveticus)
This product is freeze-dried and can be stored for a long time. The packaging can be resealed after opening and therefore used for several batches.
Njordstorps startkulturer är ren frystorkade kulturer utan konstige ingredienser. Du kan framställa sats efter sats med den yoghurt du har gjort efter första gången. Beroende på din hygien kan det bli kontaminerat och om du upptäcker att smaken eller surheten blir annorlunda kan du börja om med kulturen du har kvar i påsen.
Storage instructions for starter culture:
Store in the refrigerator or freezer. The starter culture is highly hydrophilic, so if moisture gets into the packaging, it will impair the quality. Shelf life upp to 2 years in the freezer.
Making Filbunke / Making Viili
You will need:
Activates your starter:
- Heat a cup (200 ml) of milk to 24°C. If you are using raw or unpasteurised milk, boil it and allow it to cool to 24°C.
- Add the culture to the milk and stir until dissolved. Please do not whisk, as this will cause air bubbles in the milk, which will slow down the incubation process.
- Cover the jar with a cloth to keep the milk clean from dust and airborne particles.
- Leave the milk for about 24 hours and then check if it has set. You can see this if it separates slightly from the sides of the jar when you tilt it. Some mesophilic yoghurts may look messy, but you will clearly notice that a change in consistency has occurred.
- If it has not set within 24 hours, leave it for an additional 2-4 hours until it sets. This may depend on the ambient temperature and other conditions.
- You now have an active mesophilic yoghurt starter, which you will use as a starter culture in the next step.
Making filbunke/viili:
- Add 50ml (1/4 part) of your activated culture/starter culture (which is the result of the previous step) to 1 litre (can be up to 4 litres if you use everything) of milk. Do this in a single container so that the entire starter culture can be mixed evenly with all the milk. The milk can be at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator.
- Stir gently until the active culture is completely dissolved. Please do not whisk, as this will cause air bubbles in the milk, which will slow down the incubation process.
- Divide the milk into jars/containers (we find that 1 litre or 3/4 litre Weck jars work best).
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Cover the jars again and leave them at room temperature for 12-48 hours until the yoghurt has set. We use snap lids on the Weck jars, which can be used over and over again.
- Please note that the file pile will set faster if your surroundings are warmer, so you should check it after 12 hours and then check every 2-4 hours (do this at the beginning to build up experience) to ensure that it has set. As in the previous step, you can see this when it separates slightly from the sides of the jar when you tilt the jar.
- Some mesophilic yoghurts may look messy, but you will clearly notice a change in consistency. Keep in mind that mesophilic yoghurt is naturally thinner than thermophilic yoghurt, so be prepared for a viscous or more 'slimy' consistency.
- Transfer it to the refrigerator and store it there for at least 2 hours before eating, as this will help it thicken and improve its flavour.
You can use a spoonful of the previous batch to make more filbunke/viili (within 3 days so that the culture remains viable) or freeze filbunke/villi in ice cube trays or bags to use as a starter for your next batch of yoghurt.
