How to Make Yogurt

I was flipping through the February edition of  Sunset Magazine when I saw this recipe for homemade yogurt.  What?  Really?  I was intrigued.  Making my own yogurt sounded like a challenge I could not refuse.  I eat yogurt everyday – literally.  I rely on its calcium and active cultures to keep my diet on track and well rounded.  But why make yogurt when it’s so easy to buy.  The following are a few reasons:

*It tastes better

*It’s better for you (no preservatives, sugar or chemicals added)

*It’s less expensive

*There’s no packaging waste

*Yogurt is a healthy source of protein, calcium, magnesium and other essential vitamins, whose active bacterial cultures aid in digestion

The culmination of my efforts was nothing short of amazing.  The homemade yogurt tasted lighter (no gelatin added like most commercial brands), was only lightly sour (the longer it sits the more sour it becomes) and perfectly creamy.  As well, I used my low fat lactose free milk which is already a bit more creamy and sweet and it’s enhanced with extra calcium for us middle aged ladies.  However, you can use any style of milk – fat free, low fat, whole and any kind of fresh plain yogurt as your starter.

Here is the simple recipe with tutorial pictures:

1 qt. milk (4 cups) 

2 Tbsp. very fresh plain regular or Greek-style live-culture yogurt (full-fat, low-fat or nonfat)

Pour milk into a large, heavy pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often.  When milk foams up, pour into a bowl and put into a bath of cold water.
Cool milk to 110 degrees.

Whisk 1/4 cup of 110 degree milk with yogurt in a bowl.  Then whisk into milk.

Pour into two glass jars, cover, wrap jars in towels and put in a cooler.

Add a couple more jars filled with hot water to cooler in order to keep milk warm.  

Cover cooler.

Let milk sit 8 - 12 hours to set (it will look and taste like yogurt when it's done).  The longer it sits, the tangier it gets:  chilling stops the process.  Yogurt keeps, chilled, up to 1 week.