Yogurt Recipe

When I began my blog I mentioned that I made my own yogurt at home. It's easy, and with some practice and a little diligence, it can be extrememly rewarding. The following recipe is for a quart. You can make it in smaller or larger batches depending on your family.

Yogurt

4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons plain live active cultured Yogurt (e.g. Greek Yogurt)

  Add the milk to a saucepan, then put a candy thermometer in the pan to keep track of the temprature. Heat the milk on medium until the temprature reaches 180 degrees Farenheit. Set aside and let the milk cool to 100 degrees Farenheit. Whisk in the two tablespoons of yogurt and pour into a clean quart jar. Screw on the cap.
   You will want to set the jar of yogurt in a large enough container to hold it and several jars of hot water (e.g a cooler) OR you can set the jar in a stock pot and pour hot water around it and then add a lid. In any case you want to keep the mixture warm. Then set aside somewhere where it won't be disturbed for 12 hours. After that refridgerate. Yogurt can be served with fruit mixed in or with a drizzle of honey.

You may use a 2% or skim milk for this recipe, but it will not be as thick as yogurt made from whole milk. Store yogurts have added ingredients to help them achieve that thick texture. (I've been known to leave the mixture for over 12 hours to let it really clot and thicken.)  Homemade yogurt is a great buttermilk or cream substitute in recipes, and it cuts calories! I've also used this process with sour cream with great effect. We use a greek yogurt culture that has a tarter taste and easily stands in for sour cream.

HAVE FUN EXPERIMENTING!!!