Faux Buttermilk

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By Denise Ertsman | March 16, 2010

I never seem to have buttermilk on hand when I need it. Case in point, the soda bread needed it. You can’t just substitute milk, as the texture is all wrong. There are lots of recipes out there, but in general they suggest to curdle your own milk with vinegar or lemon juice. The only problem with that (for me) is that I only have skim milk in the house, which means it is still lacking in texture. Many people complain that it just isn’t thick enough, but I came up with an ideal solution that seems good enough for my standards concerning taste and texture. I do keep Fage in my refrigerator all the time, which makes this handy in my house.

I started with yogurt and milk, but decided it was not acidic enough. I used cider vinegar, but I think that cream of tartar might also work (just not add as much). The Greek yogurt is so creamy and thick, I think it is an terrific base to form this substitute.

1 7oz container of Fage Greek yogurt
9 oz of milk
3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Mix yogurt and milk together in a bowl until blended smooth, add vinegar and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. It doesn’t hurt if it comes up to room temperature, in fact at least one sources suggests warming the milk gently in the microwave to encourage thickening. Makes 2 cups. Whatever you don’t use may be refrigerated and used later.