How to Make Home Made Yogurt Cheese

Yogurt and yogurt cheese is a great way to get protein and vitamins and great for people that are lactose intolerant! AND it's super easy!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 quart (4 cups) of 2% milk
• 1 cup of yogurt with active cultures
• 1/2 cup of dried milk
• cheese cloth
• a big pot
• heating pad
• thermometer
• a big bowl
• whisk

1. Before we make our yogurt cheese, we need to make the yogurt! The first time you make yogurt, you will have to have some store bought yogurt that says "contains live cultures" on the container, not "made with live cultures"!

2. Start out by taking your pot, and putting the quart of milk in it, and mix in the dried milk. Bring it to about 120 degrees, whisking. Now in a separate little bowl, take the store bought yogurt and put it in! When the mixture on the stove comes to 120, take it off the heat.

3. Mix about a cup of the stove top mixture into the small bowl with the store bought yogurt to bring the store bought yogurt to the same temperature so it doesn't curdle. Now, put that in the big pot, whisk, and put it in the container you are actually going to ferment it. Make sure that container is super clean, or it may mess up the yogurt.

4. In the biggest container, put your heating pad on the bottom, then place the now full yogurt container in it, and set the heating pad to mid heat. Pop in the thermometer, and try not to let it get about 120, you may have to adjust your heating pad, since all things aren't created equal!

5. Let that sit between 100-120 degrees for about 6 hours. If you like your yogurt more creamy, do it for 3 hours, if you like the yogurt more firm, do it for nine hours. Once it's done, put it in the fridge over night to stop the fermentation process.

6. Now, on to our home made yogurt cheese! You first attempt should not contain any additives such as dyes or herbs. Take a bow that will fit under any other bowl, put a mesh strainer in it, and lay 2 layers of cheese cloth over it. Now, pour in your home made yogurt, cover with the extra cheese cloth. Put a pan lid or bowl on to of all that and put a can of veggies on top to help drain the whey. In about 4 hours, you have home made yogurt cheese!

Tips & Warnings

• When you get the hang of it down, try making flavored yogurt and yogurt cheese by adding herbs in, or flavor extracts! You can even use food dye to color it!

[gahazeleyes]

on 6/21/2009 Thanks for sharing.