How to Make Homemade Yogurt

If you love the taste of yogurt and consume a lot of it, you may want to learn to make homemade yogurt. Homemade yogurt opens scores of new choices for you because you can create any flavor to suit your taste. Here is a yogurt recipe that is easy to make and half as complicated as others that I have seen.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 1/2 to 1 gallon milk (lowfat or whole)
• 1 small cup plain, store-bought yogurt
• Saucepan
• Cooler
• Glass jars or containers
• Candy thermometer
• Water

1. Sterilize the glass jars or containers by pouring boiling water into the jar and letting it sit for 10 minutes. Pour out the water and let it cool and dry off.
2. Boil another pot of water and maintain a temperature of between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Heat milk in a saucepan and stick in a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature until it reaches between 170 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not go over 180 degrees Fahrenheit, or the yogurt will taste bad.
4. Turn off the stove when the temperature reaches 170 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and keep stirring for another 2 to 3 minutes to prevent burning the milk. Let the milk cool to between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Stir up the store-bought yogurt well and then mix it into the milk. Stir until it is all mixed. This will allow the bacteria in the store-bought yogurt to grow and spread throughout the milk mixture.
6. Pour mixture into the glass jars or containers that were sterilized earlier.
7. Pour the water that is between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit into a cooler in order to maintain a consistent temperature.
8. Put all the jars of yogurt mixture carefully into the cooler, cover the cooler and let it sit in a warm area to incubate for at least 5 to 6 hours. Avoid moving the cooler or opening it, since this will cause the heat to escape and the yogurt to not set.
9. Press gently on the yogurt after 6 hours to test if it is set. If it feels slightly firm, it’s ready.
10. Cover the jars. You may store the yogurt in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• You may save some fresh-made yogurt to use as a starter for the next time you make another batch of homemade yogurt.
• Add any flavoring or fruits you like to the mixture.
• Add 2 tbsp. powdered milk to the mixture if you prefer thicker yogurt.