This is how I make one quart of plain yogurt:
-Heat 3 1/2 cups whole milk for 6 minutes in the microwave (or to 180 F)
-Let it cool in the fridge for 40 minutes (or to 110 F)
-Whisk in 1/8 to 1/4 cup dry milk (for thickening)
-Whisk in 1/4 cup yogurt (plain with live cultures)
-Pour into 1 quart jar and close lid tightly
-Place into small insulated cooler of some sort and add enough hot tap water (or 110 F water) to cover the yogurt (not the whole jar)
-Let it sit in a warmish place for 6 to 8 hours, and then refrigerate.
I forgot about it last time, and made it in the afternoon and didn't refrigerate it until the next morning. It was totally fine; it was just a little more sour than normal, but I kind of like it that way anyway.
I know these temps and amounts are flexible and debatable and whatnot, but this is my little system with my microwave and fridge that works well for me. I put the yogurt beside the fridge in the little water cooler jug thing b/c there's heat that comes off the fridge. Also, you could probably use lower-fat milk and a yogurt starter or something. I don't know. This is how I do it!
good directions. :) i just want to say that you can set your jar in your crockpot full of water, too. mine is too hot, even on low, to leave it on all the time, so i just turn it on at the beginning and then once in the middle for a bit.
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me that they've discovered you don't have to heat your milk and then let it cool. Also, I heard that you get a nicer texture if you don't heat it in the beginning. I guess the initial heating is to pasturize it, but since our milk is already pasturized, we shouldn't need to do that step. I haven't tried it yet, and don't know if all this is true. :-) I intend to find out, though!
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