Tips for Making Natural Yogurt

Yogurt is a healthy snack.

Yogurt is a healthy and delicious snack that comes in many varieties and flavors. Making your own yogurt results in a fresher product; in addition, you can custom-tailor your blend to your taste buds. While making natural yogurt is a straightforward process, following a few tips can make your batch more successful and flavorful.

Choose a High-Quality Starter Bacteria

Choosing a high-quality starter yogurt will ensure the proper bacteria is used.

Yogurt is cooked milk that has fermented and coagulated with the aid of lactic bacteria. The bacteria converts lactose in milk into lactic acid, so you must select a high-quality yogurt bacteria for your first batch. A brand-name, high-quality plain yogurt, such as Dannon, is among the choices. If you plan to make an organic yogurt, use an organic starter yogurt such as those available from Stonyfield Organic Yogurt. Custom dry yogurt cultures are also available from specialty stores or online. In any case, use the starter bacteria that contain lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Use a Candy Thermometer

Because making yogurt requires a bit of science, you must monitor the exact cooking temperatures at all times. Candy thermometers are designed to sit in liquids and provide very accurate temperature readings. Use a high-quality candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the milk as it cooks on a stove-top burner to a temperature of 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Being off by even a few degrees while cooking milk can lead to bad batches of yogurt, as the bacteria require certain conditions to grow and multiply. Follow recipes exactly for the most successful batch. Your can find yogurt recipes online at sites such as 101 Recipes, Cooks and All Recipes.

Sterilize All Cooking Equipment

Boiling cooking equipment will sterilize it.

Sterilize all cooking equipment before starting the yogurt-making process. Most cooking materials, including pots, spoons, thermometers and measuring cups, contain natural bacteria from lying around the kitchen. Sterilizing the equipment reduces the chance that unwanted bacteria will develop in the yogurt. To sterilize, place the thermometer, spoon, measuring cups and anything else that will physically touch the yogurt in a large pot of water. Cover, and bring to a boil. After about 10 minutes, carefully rinse off the equipment under cold water and proceed to cooking.

Flavoring and the Next Batch

While the sugars naturally found in milk will make your base yogurt sweet, consider adding fruits, walnuts, granola or fruit preserves for added flavor. Get creative with flavor combinations. After you have found the recipe that you want to use, keep a sample of your best batch in the refrigerator to start the next batch. Instead of purchasing yogurt bacteria or a store-bought yogurt, use the last batch as the starter culture. This will keep the yogurt consistent from batch to batch.

References

• Custom Probiotics, Inc.: Custom Probitics Yogurt Starters
• How to Make Yogurt: What You Need to Make Yogurt
• How to Make Yogurt: Sterilize Equipment

Resources

• Stonyfield Farm: Our Organic Products