Who Knew? Yogurt!!

So, I FINALLY tried making yogurt, and why did I wait so long? I have no idea. It's almost silly how easy and nearly foolproof it is to make, AND it's much tastier. No additives, simply milk and some starter yogurt: can't get more natural than that! People suggest using a specific brand of yogurt, but I used something different and it worked out fine. As long as you have the friendly, little bacteria guys in there to start, they'll do the work on your new batch. And those are the guys that make yogurt so healthy, so don't be scared of them. They are like the ladybugs in your garden, welcome visitors!



I soon will attempt homemade granola and share that with you too, but for now, just the yogurt:

1. Sterilize your jars: boil them in a big pot of water. Let them boil for 5 mins with a lid, and leave them there until you are ready to use them. Wash all of the lids well with warm soapy water. I don't think it's a good idea to put the lids in the boiling water because they have rubber pieces on them.

2. Heat up 1 gallon of milk in another pot, medium heat, stir every now and then so that you don't burn the milk. Heat it slowly to 185-195 degrees F.

3. Stick the pot of milk in a cold water bath to cool it down to 122-130 degrees F. If it is any hotter, you will kill the bacteria in the yogurt and hence, your milk will not turn into yogurt.

4. In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure 1 cup of the warm milk, and stir in enough yogurt to bring the measure up to 2 cups. Blend well.

5. Stir the yogurt-milk mixture into your warm milk and stir well (inoculation).

6. Distribute in your jars.

7. Incubate jars in a cooler with 120 degree F water, filled just up to the bottom of the lids of your jars (or shortest jar). Close cooler and let sit for at least 3 hrs, but longer is fine. I think mine sat for >5 hrs.

Your homemade yogurt will be less firm than the store-bought, and that's because of all of the additives. You can add some powdered milk if you want to make it stiffer, as was suggested here:

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/yogurt_making/YOGURT2000.htm

Good luck and enjoy!