Use full-fat canned coconut milk or cream with at least around 17g of fat per 100ml, or roughly 60%+ coconut solids. Check the label rather than assuming — fat content varies a lot between brands.

Choose a brand known for a smooth, creamy consistency rather than a separated or grainy one, and whisk the can's contents thoroughly before use to recombine any separated fat and liquid.

Stick with one brand you know works well while you're dialling in your process, rather than troubleshooting technique and ingredient variation at the same time.

Use vegan-friendly starter culture (not tablets, which are harder to fully dissolve) as a reliable default, opening and emptying them directly into the coconut milk. If using a store-bought starter, choose one with live cultures and no additives.

Test with a fresh, unopened batch of starter culture. If that ferments normally, the previous starter had lost potency — store capsules in the fridge between uses to help preserve it.

A thinner set is expected without added thickener — this isn't necessarily a failed batch. If you want a thicker, more spoonable result, see the thickener and straining tips below.

Dissolve the thickener into the coconut milk by heating it before adding the starter, then cool fully to a safe temperature (below 50°C) before adding the culture. Never reheat once the culture is in.

Switch to a clean starter without additives, and make sure any thickener is fully dissolved and smooth (with no visible lumps) before combining with the rest of the milk.

A small amount of sugar can help feed the culture and support thickening, most of which is typically consumed during fermentation. If you'd rather skip added sugar, expect to extend the ferment time and consider leaning more on a thickener instead.

Start checking around 10 hours and taste-test for tanginess, continuing in increments until it reaches your preferred flavour — don't expect it to be done on a fixed schedule the way dairy yoghurt often is.

An oven with just the light on is a commonly used low-effort option for a warm, steady spot. Verify with a thermometer if your batches are consistently slow to ferment.

Refrigerate once it reaches your preferred tanginess and wait several hours (or overnight) before judging final texture, rather than deciding straight out of the ferment.

Stir it back through once fermentation is finished. Keeping a more consistent temperature during fermentation reduces how much separation happens in the first place.

Stir it back in, or strain it off if you want a thicker result (see "Straining" below). See "Is it safe?" for how to tell this apart from an actually spoiled batch.

Line a fine mesh strainer with a couple of layers of cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, cover loosely, and let it drain in the fridge for several hours up to overnight, depending on how thick you want the result.

Strain only what you need thicker and leave the rest unstrained for a more pourable, kefir-like texture, rather than straining the whole batch and losing volume you didn't need to.

Spread the yoghurt in an even layer across the cloth before draining, and give it a stir partway through straining to even things out.

Thin texture, separation, tangy smell: normal, stir and proceed. Mould on the surface, or a rotten rather than tangy smell: discard the batch — this usually points to a container that wasn't clean, insufficient acidity developing during the ferment, or a batch left too long at room temperature.

Use within about a week, checking for any off smell or visible mould before eating an older batch.

Add sweeteners, fruit, vanilla, or spices after fermentation is complete, once the yoghurt is in the fridge or ready to serve, rather than mixing them in beforehand.

Taste-test from around the 12-hour mark onward and refrigerate as soon as it reaches the tang you like, rather than leaving it to the maximum time a recipe suggests.

Cover with a tightly woven cheesecloth or thin tea towel secured with an elastic band during fermentation, then switch to a proper lid once you move the finished batch to the fridge.

An oven with just the light on is a low-cost, commonly used option for steady warmth over many hours. A dedicated yoghurt maker also works if your kitchen tends to run cool.