Yogurt is really not that hard to make, although it does take a bit of time. But in the end the time you take will be well worth it and once you have sampled your own yogurt you will be hard pressed to ever go back to the store bought variety.
There are only a couple of tricky stages involved in making your own yogurt and for these a good quality candy thermometer will save the day! So let’s make yogurt!
Easy Peasy Homemade Yogurt
Ingredients:
- 4 litres of Whole or 2% Milk
- 1 tablespoon of Plain Yogurt (ACTIVE)
Tools:
- 1 large pot
- 1 candy thermometer
- 1 ladle
- 12 500ml canning jars with lids and seals
- 1 large bath sheet or towel
- 1 cardboard box with closeable lid big enough to hold the folded up towel and canning jars
Preparation:
There are two keys to making excellent yogurt. The first is keeping a keen eye on the temperature of the milk. While you want to scald the milk you don’t want to boil or burn it. The second is having a tablespoon of good quality plain yogurt with ACTIVE culture in it. That means DO NOT use that 0% crud they call yogurt. You can buy yogurt with active culture locally but you have to read the label.
- Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and pour in the milk.
- Bring the milk temperature up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once there take the pot off the stove and let cool to 108 – 112 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the milk is cooling sterilize the canning jars and have them open and ready on your work table or counter.
- Now is a good time to setup the incubator box by folding the towel and placing it into the box so that all sides and the bottom are covered as well as having enough left to flip over the top of the jars later.
- Once your milk has cooled to 108 – 112 degrees stir in the tablespoon of plain yogurt.
- Immediately ladle the milk mixture into the waiting 12 canning jars and cap them gently (not tight).
- Place the jars upright in the box and wrap the towel around them.
- Cover the box and place in a quiet, draft free place for 12 – 24 hours.
- After 12 – 24 hours you should see that the milk has gelled with a small amount of liquid on top.
- Pour the liquid off and cap tightly.
- Immediately refrigerate.
If you have followed the instructions above correctly you should now have 12 jars of yummy homemade yogurt to enjoy. In the fridge the yogurt should last a couple of weeks.
For flavoured yogurt simply add a tablespoon of your favourite preserves per jar just before serving. Around here the preferred condiment is simply cinnamon. You can use this yogurt for any recipes calling for plain yogurt.
Simple eh? With a close eye on your candy thermometer you can create yogurt that will have your family turning up their noses at the pretty yogurts in the store.
And look Ma!.. No Added Preservatives!