How to Make Apple Yogurt Drink

What you need

• sterilized glass jar with lid
• blender
• knife and cutting board
• mandoline slicer (optional)
• citrus squeezer or juicer
• serving cup

Method

1. Wash the apples thoroughly, then dry them completely so no moisture remains.

   Any residual water in the jar can cause mold to develop in the cheong.

   Expert tipSterilize the glass jar before starting to prevent contamination.

2. Peel the apples, cut each into roughly 8 wedges (adjust based on fruit size), remove the seeds and core from each wedge, then slice the wedges thinly.

   A mandoline slicer speeds this up and gives more uniform slices.

3. Layer the apple slices into the sterilized jar, then add sugar at a 1:1 ratio by weight with the apples.

   White sugar works fine; unrefined sugar is equally acceptable.

4. Squeeze fresh lemon juice — from 1 lemon per 2 apples used — directly over the apple and sugar mixture, then stir gently to combine.

   The lemon is essential: without it the cheong tastes flat.

   Expert tipDo not skip or reduce the lemon; it provides the acidity that balances the sweetness and lifts the apple flavor.

5. approximately 1 week

   Leave the jar at room temperature until the sugar dissolves fully, then move it to the refrigerator and allow the cheong to mature for about 1 week before using.

   The cheong is ready when all the sugar has dissolved into a syrupy liquid surrounding the apple pieces.

6. To make the Apple Yogurt Drink, pour milk into the blender first, then add yogurt powder and a generous scoop of apple cheong, making sure to include plenty of the apple pulp.

   Favouring the fruit pulp over the syrup alone keeps the drink from becoming overly sweet.

   Expert tipScoop the cheong with its flesh rather than pouring only the liquid syrup — the pulp carries apple fragrance and a pleasant texture.

7. Add ice to the blender, then blend everything together until smooth.

8. Pour into a serving cup and enjoy immediately.

Why this works

Macerating apple slices in an equal weight of sugar draws out the fruit's natural juices through osmosis and creates a concentrated, fragrant syrup — the cheong — that keeps well in the refrigerator. Fresh lemon juice added at the maceration stage provides acidity that sharpens flavor and prevents excessive sweetness. Blending the cheong's pulp rather than straining it out retains fiber and apple aroma, while yogurt powder adds a tangy creaminess that complements the fruit. Ice blended in together chills and aerates the drink simultaneously.

Where beginners go wrong

1. 1

   Mold forms in the cheong jar

   This is almost always caused by moisture left on the apples or an unsterilized jar. Dry the fruit completely and sterilize the jar with boiling water or alcohol before use.

2. 2

   Cheong tastes flat or one-dimensional

   The lemon is likely missing or insufficient. Add fresh lemon juice at a ratio of 1 lemon per 2 apples; it is not optional — it is what makes the cheong taste bright and complex.

3. 3

   Drink is too sweet

   Use more of the apple pulp and less of the liquid syrup when scooping the cheong into the blender, or reduce the total amount of cheong. The flesh delivers flavor with less sugar than the syrup alone.

4. 4

   Sugar has not fully dissolved in the jar

   Leave the jar at room temperature a little longer, turning or gently stirring it occasionally. Full dissolution can take several hours to a full day depending on ambient temperature.

What you should taste

The finished drink is gently sweet and lightly tart, with a soft apple fragrance and a creamy yogurt character. Blended apple pulp gives it a pleasant body and the subtle crunch of real fruit. It is refreshing without being cloying.

FAQ