Making homemade yogurt is almost as much fun as making homemade bread, and some of the same principles apply. The process is part science, part "feel", and part magic. This post is to help a little bit with all three. The process is not really complicated, but it does take time, probably three or four hours, start to finish. You don’t have to be doing something most of that time, you just need to be around! Here's what you need to get started!
Equipment:
A 3 qt or larger pan and lid.
A cooking thermometer – I think a candy thermometer would be best, but since I don't have one I have always used my meat thermometer with good results. You will need one or the other. Temperature is important.
4 pint jars and lids. You do not need "canning" jars/rings/flats, just 4 small jars that will hold about a pint each. I use old peanut butter jars.
Ingredients:
Milk – 3 pints. I generally use 2% milk from the grocery store. Whole milk works, and so does skim. I have also used fresh milk from the neighbor's cows, which we use regularly for everything else, but I've found the yogurt seems to "separate" and the shelf life is shorter. You can do your own experimenting!
Unflavored gelatin – 1 Tablespoon dissolved in ¼ cup cold water – you can use one envelope of Knox gelatin or one tablespoon if you buy in bulk.
Yogurt starter – ½ cup Each batch of yogurt requires ½ cup of yogurt starter. You can save ½ cup from each batch of yogurt if you like but of course that doesn't help for the first batch. And, I've found that what usually happens at our house is that someone empties the last jar, (often it's me!!) and, oops, no starter! Again. Yet I feel annoyed buying that big container of yogurt at the grocery store when what I want to do is make my own. Then I learned that yogurt can be frozen! Now, I buy that large container and freeze all of it in ½ cup containers. When it's time to make yogurt, I just set one out to thaw, and I'm ready to go!
Dry powdered milk - ½ cup
Sweetener - I use a sweet-n-low substitute, with sweetness equivalent to about one heaping Tablespoon of sugar which makes a fairly tart yogurt. You can experiment.
Vanilla – 1 tsp.
Process:
Now you are ready to start making your own yogurt! Anybody can do this, and I'll be glad to answer any questions that arise. I'll give the directions step by step, (that's the science,) followed by my chatty comments and explanations to help you with the "feel" for the process, and throw in a few tips I've picked up along the way to help with the magic!
Equipment:
A 3 qt or larger pan and lid.
A cooking thermometer – I think a candy thermometer would be best, but since I don't have one I have always used my meat thermometer with good results. You will need one or the other. Temperature is important.
4 pint jars and lids. You do not need "canning" jars/rings/flats, just 4 small jars that will hold about a pint each. I use old peanut butter jars.
Ingredients:
Milk – 3 pints. I generally use 2% milk from the grocery store. Whole milk works, and so does skim. I have also used fresh milk from the neighbor's cows, which we use regularly for everything else, but I've found the yogurt seems to "separate" and the shelf life is shorter. You can do your own experimenting!
Unflavored gelatin – 1 Tablespoon dissolved in ¼ cup cold water – you can use one envelope of Knox gelatin or one tablespoon if you buy in bulk.
Yogurt starter – ½ cup Each batch of yogurt requires ½ cup of yogurt starter. You can save ½ cup from each batch of yogurt if you like but of course that doesn't help for the first batch. And, I've found that what usually happens at our house is that someone empties the last jar, (often it's me!!) and, oops, no starter! Again. Yet I feel annoyed buying that big container of yogurt at the grocery store when what I want to do is make my own. Then I learned that yogurt can be frozen! Now, I buy that large container and freeze all of it in ½ cup containers. When it's time to make yogurt, I just set one out to thaw, and I'm ready to go!
Dry powdered milk - ½ cup
Sweetener - I use a sweet-n-low substitute, with sweetness equivalent to about one heaping Tablespoon of sugar which makes a fairly tart yogurt. You can experiment.
Vanilla – 1 tsp.
Process:
Now you are ready to start making your own yogurt! Anybody can do this, and I'll be glad to answer any questions that arise. I'll give the directions step by step, (that's the science,) followed by my chatty comments and explanations to help you with the "feel" for the process, and throw in a few tips I've picked up along the way to help with the magic!
1. Scald the milk to 180 degrees and cool to 120 degrees. Just keep the thermometer in the pan all the time and when it reads 180, pull the pan off the burner and work on the next step while you wait for it to cool. (It's best not to bring it to a boil, but I often do, so….it survives! I have tried just heating the milk to 120 degrees and following the recipe from there, but something happens between 120 and 180, might be science, might be magic, but it has to heat all the way up then cool down for the yogurt to "set" later.)
2. While waiting for the milk to cool, stir the gelatin/water into it with a wire whisk.
3. Keep waiting. In a glass measuring cup, combine the ½ cup yogurt starter, the sweetener, the powdered milk, and the vanilla. (Stir this very thoroughly now, because it is a pain to mix it into the milk if it's a lumpy, bumpy mess.)
4. Keep waiting. Fill the pint jars with very warm water from the tap so they are ready when you are at step 6!
3. Keep waiting. In a glass measuring cup, combine the ½ cup yogurt starter, the sweetener, the powdered milk, and the vanilla. (Stir this very thoroughly now, because it is a pain to mix it into the milk if it's a lumpy, bumpy mess.)
4. Keep waiting. Fill the pint jars with very warm water from the tap so they are ready when you are at step 6!
5. Keep waiting. When the milk has cooled to 120 degrees, stir in the yogurt starter mixture, using a wire whisk to mix thoroughly. That's all there is to it!
6. Now it's time to incubate the yogurt so it can "set":
- Fill a pan with very, very warm water from the tap; it should be around 120 degrees. (I usually let the water run into the pan in the sink while I am filling the jars on the counter so that the temperature stays constant when I set the jars in place.)
- Fill the jars, put the lids on tightly, and set the filled jars into the pan filled with water. Water should be well up the sides of the jars but NOT over the tops.
-Put the thermometer in the water and cover the pan with the lid, letting the thermometer visible.
6. Now it's time to incubate the yogurt so it can "set":
- Fill a pan with very, very warm water from the tap; it should be around 120 degrees. (I usually let the water run into the pan in the sink while I am filling the jars on the counter so that the temperature stays constant when I set the jars in place.)
- Fill the jars, put the lids on tightly, and set the filled jars into the pan filled with water. Water should be well up the sides of the jars but NOT over the tops.
-Put the thermometer in the water and cover the pan with the lid, letting the thermometer visible.
7. The yogurt needs to stay at about 110-120 degrees for several hours in order to "set". There are fancy yogurt makers, but the best (translate that,"cheapest, easiest!") way I've found to incubate is in the oven with the oven light on and the door closed. I turn the pan so I can read the thermometer through the window and let it sit that way for a few hours It generally maintains the temperature near 120 degress.
That's it, yogurt making for anyone! After waiting at least 2 hours, (I usually wait 3) move the jars to the refrigerator and prepare to amaze your family with yest creation! If the yogurt still looks very liquidy when you take it from the pan, don't worry. It has to chill, and then it should be ready to eat.One of my family's favorite ways to enjoy our yogurt is with a nice splash of strawberry jelly in the middle. You will need to experiment with the sweetness if your family prefers a really sweet yogurt as this is fairly tart and tangy. You can mix fresh or canned fruit at serving time. Stirring really vigorously tends to break up the yogurt, so just fold in gently.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
If you have any difficulties or questions, post them below and I'll do my best to answer. Maybe some other yogurt makers will share their tips to help you get the feel for the magic!
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