How to Make Yogurt

To make yogurt is easy if you follow these instructions. I make a gallon of yogurt every week.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• low fat milk
• low fat yogurt (small container, the yogurt type you like)
• food thermometer

1. To start, you need yogurt; so buy a small container of yogurt, the type you like and make sure it matches the fat content of the milk you will use to make your yogurt.

2. In a large pot heat up the milk until it reaches boiling point (212 °F). Then let the milk cool down. You can put the milk pot in cold water to speed up the cooling process. Check milk temperature that the milk has cooled down to about 110-115 °F, and not below before you continue.

3. Take about a few spoonfuls of yogurt (I use 4 oz) and mix some milk to it. Then take that mixture and pour into the large milk container. Then pour the milk with the mixed-in yogurt into two half gallon plastic containers (I use two Costco 40 oz Mixed Nuts containers)and wrap them in a towel and put them on a shelf to let the yogurt form in the slow cooling process from 115 °F. I keep the yogurt there for 24 hours and then I refrigerate it. To make another batch, I just use a few spoonful of yogurt from that batch to start a new batch. I can reuse the yogurt 3-4 times before it loses its "power" and the I start with a fresh set again. Enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• Checking temperatures is important. To avoid accidents - do not let the milk over boil - use the thermometer to check that it reaches 212°F. Then the milk has to cool down to under 115°F, but should not get below 110°F, so the yogurt cultures can interact and multiply in the lukewarm milk! Try different "starters" and check the ingredients. I like yogurt when it has L. Bulgaricus and L. Acidophilus). Try the Greek yogurt as starter if you like thicker yogurt.
• Be careful when handling milk at boiling temperatures!