How to: Yogurt

Recently I was shopping with a friend and she asked if I liked Greek yogurt.  "No," I replied.  Maybe I would like it if I tried the blueberry or chocolate or whatever else, but I've only had the plain and it's a little too tart for my taste.  I felt like my answer needed some explanation, so I explained to her that I make my own yogurt and mostly I just prefer the stuff that I make.  "You make," she commented, "your own yogurt."   I could feel her slightly rolling her eyes in a "of course you do" kind of sarcastic way.

Sometimes I feel bad for making things that most people purchase but then I remember that it's more delicious from my kitchen so... oh, well.

My yogurt making days began after I was married.  Steve wanted to register for a yogurt making machine.  I agreed because I loved him.  I honestly never thought we would use it, but we received one and we made it and I didn't really like it.  A couple years went by and it turned from a slightly inconvenient gift to a money saving tool to a regular thing because I love fresh yogurt.

I got good at turning the plain yogurt into gourmet treats, like strawberry banana and pina colada.  But I realized that sometimes I didn't want to make exactly 7 1/2 cup servings.  I new there was a way to make it sans machine.  So, this week I figured it out.

I based my method off of this website: make your own yogurt

How to: Yogurt

1. The milk

What I really do love about this method is that I can use whatever milk I have on hand.  All of my leftovers.

2. Heat it

Pour milk into saucepan.  (You'll notice in the next picture that I moved to a larger pot.)  Heat on medium until it's 185 degrees.  I don't use a thermometer.  Just, watch it.  Stir frequently.  The milk will get frothy and steam a little.  The important things are that it doesn't scald or boil.  Don't let it boil.

3. Cool it

Cool the milk to lukewarm, about 110 degrees.  In the website I read it suggested using a water bath in the sink.  This took about 5 minutes because the water was really cold.  Again, you want to stir frequently.  You can also stick the pot into the refrigerator.  This takes about 20 minutes, stir every 5 minutes or so.  Again, I don't use a thermometer, just feel it with my finger- you want it slightly warmer than the hot tub :)

4. Yogurt Starter
Sorry, no picture.  Take a container of yogurt, a use Yoplait french vanilla low fat.  If you have plain, please use it.  Stir it in slowly to the milk.  You want it well distributed.  

5. Leave it Alone

Cover with a dishcloth.  Place in a corner and don't touch for at least 7 hours.  You want it to be warm.  I used a homemade heating pack- dried corn sewn into some cotton fabric- and then I made some cookies and had the oven on and then I turned the air off and it was like 95 that day.  Later, I reheated the hot pack. So, you know, be creative.  If you have an electic heat pad, use that.  Or, if you have a gas stove, put it close to the pilot.

6. Chill

Stir the yogurt a little bit and pour into whatever containers you have.  It will seem a little runny.  Chilling will thicken it a little bit, but remember that store bought yogurt usually has some sort of thickener.  The recipe with our machine makes a thicker yogurt and it includes some dry milk powder, maybe that does something?  Chill for at least a couple hours.

7. Eat

Enjoy a bowl of fabulous yogurt!