Homemade Yogurt-Using Milk
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Here is another option for making yogurt using milk. I think this option is actually better for you too. Enjoy!
You will need…
- 8 cups milk
- 1/3 cup powdered milk (this is optional but will make a thicker yogurt)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, optional for sweetened yogurt
- 1/2 cup starter yogurt (simply plain yogurt!)
In a large pot combine the milk and the powdered milk. Stir until it is dissolved. Place your thermometer in the pot and heat the milk mixture over medium low heat until it reaches 180 degrees. (Do not allow the milk to get any hotter than 180 degrees, as it will kill off the yogurt cultures.) Remove the pot from the stove and allow it to cool to 115 degrees. Once the milk has cooled, add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes and stir again to make sure it is well dissolved.
Pour the mixture into 2 clean quart jars and cover with lids and rims. Now you are ready to incubate the yogurt for 4-12 hours. Get out your small cooler and pour 3 quarts of hot tap water into the bottom of it. Set the quart jars with the yogurt in it down in the water in the cooler. Close the lid of the cooler and set your timer for 4 hours. Do NOT disturb the yogurt during this 4 hours…and do NOT open the cooler to check it. The warm water will keep the yogurt warm as it incubates (gets thick).
After 4 hours has passed, open the cooler and check the yogurt. IMPORTANT: DO NOT STIR THE YOGURT! I stirred my first batch and it all separated! You should be able to tell just by tipping the jar if the yogurt has firmed up. If it HAS firmed up, put a lid on the jar and put in your refrigerator to chill. It is then ready to use! If for some reason after 4 hours that the yogurt has not firmed up, replace the water in the cooler with 3 new quarts of hot water, put your yogurt quarts back in, cover, and close the cooler lid again. Check it after another hour or two. Continue doing this (for up to 12 hours) until the yogurt has firmed up. Once it has firmed up, put the quarts in your refrigerator to chill. It is then ready to use!
You can incubate it longer than the 4 hours if desired. The longer you incubate the yogurt, the more sour it will be.
The yogurt will keep 1-2 weeks in your refrigerator.
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