How to Make Yogurt
It's easy to make yogurt at home. The only tricky part is getting the temperature right. Follow these steps to make yogurt in any flavor you choose. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Plain store-bought yogurt
- Milk
- Pot or double boiler
- Warm place for the yogurt to incubate
- Thermometer
- Glass jars or other containers with lids
- Stirring spoon, preferably metal
Instructions
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1
Sterilize 4 8-oz. glass jars and their lids. Boil them in a pot filled with water for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, put the lid on and let them cool down. Make sure you don't skip this step.
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2
Pour 1 quart of milk into a pot or double boiler.
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3
Heat the milk slowly, stirring constantly.
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4
Stop when the milk reaches 180 to 185 degrees F according to a thermometer.
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5
Remove the milk from the heat and let it cool to 105 to 110 degrees F.
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6
Add 1/4 cup plain store-bought yogurt to the milk and stir until the yogurt dissolves.
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7
Pour the milk into the jars and close the lids tightly.
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8
Incubate the yogurt. The jars must stay warm, between 105 to 120 degrees F. Place the jars in a pot or other container filled with warm water. Monitor the water with the thermometer and add hot water as needed to maintain the temperature.
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9
Occasionally check the yogurt to see if it has jelled. This can take around 4 to 6 hours or longer.
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10
Put the jars of yogurt in the refrigerator.
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1
Tips & Warnings
A candy thermometer is ideal to use while making yogurt.
You can use skim milk, 2-percent milk, or whole milk to make yogurt. Skim milk is usually higher in protein, lower in fat and cholesterol.
After making the yogurt, you can add flavorings like fruit, fruit jellies or jams, flavored extracts, cinnamon or honey.
Read the ingredients label on the yogurt container and make sure it contains "active cultures." After you make your first batch of yogurt, you can use your own yogurt to start the next batch.
