Making homeade yogurt is easy and results in tastier and thicker yogurt. You can control how thick you desire the yogurt. Also you can try different milks and try to taste the difference. I have a Yogourmet yogurt maker. It is a really simple machine just heating water to about 100 degrees. The inner container sits in the small amount of water. You fill the water in outer container to the line shown. I usually use yogourmet dried start either the regular or probiotic. The probiotic starter suggests letting cool to a lower temperature like 70-80 degrees instead of the regular 100-110 degrees. I usually let it cool to 90. Making yogurt does not have to be exact. I usually heat the yogurt in the evening let it cool. Then before bed put in the yogurt maker for about 12 hours to be ready in the morning. I usually buy the best milk I can like grass fed organic or a local brand. I think the better milk produces tastier yogurt. Using existing yogurt instead of starter tastes a little smoother but I usually use starter since I would have to remember to save the last batch. I go through phases of making yogurt but since the process is really easy I should keep making yogurt regularly.
Ingredients
- half gallon, high quality whole milk
- 5g / 1 packet of yogurt starter crystals or a few tablespoons of yogurt with active cultures
Steps
- pour milk into large saucepan
- heat milk, until starting to bubble, about 185 F
- remove from heat let cool for about 30-60 minutes until cools to about 110 F (some yogurt starter like probiotic say should cool to 80-85)
- pour packet of starter or yogurt into small bowl, pour about half cup to cup of warm milk and mix until dissolved
- add warm milk and starter mixture to yogurt maker
- keep in yogurt maker for about 8 hours or up to 24 hours, I like about 12 hours for overnight time period
- check yogurt thickened then move the fridge until cooled for about 8 hours, the yogurt will thicken more in the fridge
