Donvier Yogurt Maker

The Donvier yogurt maker got a lot of publicity from the book French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano and there are many happy users of this product out there.

It makes a total of 48 ounces (1.5 quarts) of yogurt in 8 6oz containers. Now this is either a good thing - handy sized containers for snacks and kid's lunches - or a bad thing - fiddly little containers. I guess it all depends on your family size and lifestyle.

For your money (around the US$45 mark as of mid-2008) you get a heater base, thermometer stirrer, 8 jars with lids, unit cover and user manual with recipes.

Like any yogurt maker it may take one or two trial runs to discover how to make your perfect yogurt. People use times varying from 6 hours up to 18 hours depending on what milk they use and how firm and tart they like their yogurt, Remember the longer you leave the yogurt "making", the tarter it will become.

Advise from the Donvier Pro's

There are people out there that love their Cuisipro Donvier yogurt maker to bits and ALWAYS make perfect yogurt. Check out some of the varying methods they use.

Use 4 cups whole milk, one cup heavy cream, and a tablespoon or two of dry milk....perfect yogurt after about 18 hours.

Use 1 qt of 'half in half", 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup Splenda sweetener (can use equal amount of sugar instead), and 1 packet of Yogourmet yogurt starter. Mix all ingredients together and pour evenly into Donvier yogurt cups and process for 10 hours.

Use 4 cups of two-percent milk and mix in 1/2 cup instant dry milk. The instant dry milk seems to help it thicken.

Use 1 1/4 cups of instant dry milk mixed into four cups of water. Mix well to avoid lumps.

Heat the milk in the microwave for nine minutes instead of in a sauce pan on the stove. The milk needs to be cooled to about 120 degrees before adding the starter, not 110 to 115 as is printed in the instructions.

Use two heaped teaspoons of Dannon plain yogurt as a starter.

Use organic low-fat (1 percent) milk and a cupful of the "all-natural" Dannon nonfat plain yogurt as a starter (Stonyfield Farms also works well, but the Dannon batches turn out smoother), and then set the machine to go for 7.5 hours.

Use two percent milk and Activia for the starter. It sets really well.

Good Points of the Donvier System

• Digital LCD display with electric timer.

• 1 year limited warranty.

• Some people have used the same Donvier for 10 years (but see the note in the "bad points").

• You can buy another set of 8 jars (polycarbonate plastic) so can be making the next batch whilst still using the last.

• Automatic shut-off.

Bad Points of the Donvier System

• Time consuming having to heat the milk first and then wait for it to cool, although in fairness, this is a problem with most of the electric yogurt makers.

• Quite a few reports on poor customer service - phone calls seem to get a response whereas emails don't!

• Uneven heating is sometimes a problem.

• Quite a few people find it breaks down within a year (However some folk are into their second decade with this brand.)

• The containers are supposedly made of "unbreakable" plastic - not so!

• Don't stack the jars without the lids on because they REALLY stick together.

• The digital control can be accidentally switched off.

• Thermometer stirrer can get broken - a candy thermometer works better if you have one.

The best advise for your Donvier yogurt maker is to experiment with they type of milk you use and the length of time you "set" it for until you hit on the perfect recipe for your tastebuds.

This would not be my own personal choice if I was buying a yogurt maker but it is a brand with many satisfied users - as well as a number of consumers frustrated with breakage and poor customer response.

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