I use Kefir in my pancakes and waffles and have tried it in pudding and I think chocolate pudding would be better than lemon.
My kefir turns out thicker than my yogurt at the present because I have not perfected either yet. I also use a tea ball to make kefir and the grains are multiplying quickly. Dom's Kefir site does say there may be some down sides to using metal to make kefir, but I find my stainless tea ball to be wonderful ---no straining, just transfer the tea ball to another quart of warm milk.
I bought my grains from Ebay at a store called Healthy Cultures...here is her quote that helps put into perspective, kefir, in relation to yogurt...
Kefir VS. Yogurt :
  Both kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products, but they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there.  But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match. Â
  Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species. It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.
  Kefir's active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy.
  Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, invalids and the elderly, as well as a remedy for digestive disorders. Â
KEFIR GRAINS is reputed to help with many health problems such as:
Allergies, Cures heart, Liver problems, Dissolves gallbladder stones, Cures peptic ulcer, Serves as an antibiotic for internal inflammations, Detoxicates, Reduces blood pressure, Slows development of cancerous cells, Reduces tiredness and aging, Cures periodontitis, Slows calcification of blood vessels. I'm not sure how much of this has been scientifically proven, as it seems to cure almost everything.
