Children dipping fruit in yogurt
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Eating yogurt requires a certain tolerance for tartness. But when it comes to the degree of tartness, not all yogurt brands are created equal. Tartness varies depending on the type of bacteria used and fermentation time. When you've bought a brand of yogurt that's more tart than you or your family like, cut the sour taste with a few simple additions.

Pour sweetener into the yogurt. Liquid sweeteners, such as honey and maple or agave syrup, cut the tartness more quickly than granular sugar, because they don't need to be dissolved. Start with 1 teaspoon of liquid sweetener for every cup of yogurt and add more to taste as needed. You may also cut the tartness of yogurt with zero-calorie powdered sweetener products.

Cut the tartness with a teaspoon of your favorite fruit preserves. For a frozen dessert or smoothie, you may wish to use common flavors such as peach, strawberry or blueberry. Mix a spoonful into the yogurt well and taste it to gauge the sweetness before adding more.

Blend in approximately one part of plain milk for every three parts of yogurt to make it less tart. Adding milk thins Greek-style yogurt to regular yogurt consistency and regular yogurt to a yogurt drink consistency. Add sweetener to taste.

Slice ripe fruit to add to your yogurt. Opt for fruit that gets extra sugary when ripe, such as bananas, mangoes and peaches. Adding watery fruits such as papaya, honeydew and cantaloupe also cuts the tartness of yogurt. Pulse the fruit and yogurt in a blender before serving.

Tip

If you make your own yogurt, add 2 parts sweetener -- such as honey or granulated sugar -- for every 16 parts of the milk plus live culture preparation to cut the tartness of the finished product. At the end of the fermentation time, around four to seven hours, transfer the yogurt to the refrigerator immediately, which stops fermentation. The longer you let the yogurt ferment, the more tart it becomes.