Make Your Own Yogurt

[cruelshoes]

4 cups milk (I use 4 cups water and 1 cup powdered milk)
1 packet yogurt starter OR 2 tablespoons plain, storebought yogurt (with live cultures) - see notes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 Tablespoon sugar (optional)

In a non-reactive pan, whisk together powdered milk and water. Using a thermometer, heat the reconstituted milk to 180 degrees. Stir frequently to keep it from scorching on the bottom and/or forming a skin on the top. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to 108 - 112 degrees. Add in yogurt starter or storebought yogurt. Whisk well to combine. Pour into yogurt maker and follow manufacturers instructions. (Don't have a yogurt maker? See notes below.) Cool in refrigerator. Stir in vanilla and sugar, if you are using them. You don't have to, but I find that it gives the flavor a nice boost and cuts down on the tartness a bit.

Notes
Yogurt starter can be obtained from most well stocked health food stores. I often use the Yogourmet brand, which is made by Lyo-san.

If you use storebought yogurt, use one that has active cultures. I like Stoneyfield farms or Nancy's. Use a plain one, not one that is flavored. The next time you make yogurt, save out a few tablespoons from your last batch and use it in place of the storebought starter or yogurt.

I got my yogurt maker at the second-hand store for less than $5.00. If you do not have a yogurt maker, there are lots of other ways to do it. You need to find a place where you can keep the yogurt warm for an extended period of time. The ideal temperature is 100 - 110 degrees (the cooler the temperature the longer it takes to incubate). Here are some ideas on how to do it. Pour the milk and yogurt starter or storebought yogurt into a sterilized one-quart container. Put on the lid. Use one of the following methods to incubate it :

Preheat your oven to the lowest setting, and then turn it off. Put the jar in the oven and leave it overnight.

Wrap the jar with a heating pad set to the lowest setting and leave it overnight.

Fill a cooler with hot water. Allow it to stand for 10 minites or so. Fill several quart jars with boiling water and seal. Wrap your yogurt jar with a kitchen towel. Dump the hot water out of the cooler. Place the wrapped yogurt jar in the cooler, and surround it with the hot water jars. Close the lid of the cooler. Leave it overnight.

Wrap the yogurt jar in a kitchen towel and put it on top of your refrigerator.

Yogurt takes 6 - 12 hours to incubate, depending on the temperature and method you use to incubate it. Mine usually takes 6 hours or so. Check yours at 6 hours to see if it is the firmness and tartness you want you want. The longer it incubates, the more tart it will be.
_________________
-Colleen

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart?

[celiacmaine-iac]

I think I also remember reading years ago that some people use a wide-mouth thermos to make yogurt in.
_________________
Steph

[GFgal]

[cruelshoes]

Cool! Thanks for adding that on to the recipe.
_________________
-Colleen

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart?

[GFgal]