Yogurt is very easy to make, all you do is follow the recipe on the little packet of Yógurmet ́® (freeze-dried yogurt starter). You buy this usually in a health food store. I started making yogurt with ½ pint canning jars, then found a small yogurt maker at a garage sale and finally bought a ½ gallon size yogurt maker. If you want to know how to make it with the canning jars and plain yogurt, go to facebook and check out the ‘My Best Recipes’, I put it there. So here is the ½ gallon size way.
Start with a ½ gallon milk, doesn’t matter what kind. I have used powered milk to whole milk. I like the whole milk better, for the cream. It just makes a better tasting yogurt for me.
Heat the milk in a 3 quart pan until it reaches 82˚C or 180˚F, or bring to boiling point. Then let cool down to 42-44˚C or 108-112˚F. It is best to have a thermometer. Keep stirring so the milk will not scorch.
Dissolve 2 packages (5 g each) of starter with a small quantity of lukewarm milk in a cup, then pour back into the milk. Mix well.
(I just pour the packages in the pan of milk and whisk until dissolved.)
Pour all of this into the yogurt maker and let set or incubate 4-41/2 hours, or until yogurt has reached the desired firmness.
You also add about 2 cups warm water in between the 2 containers, as shown in the picture.Refrigerate to stop incubation.
This keeps for about 2 weeks.
That’s it, now you have homemade yogurt without sugar or chemicals!
I like to add fresh fruit and some yogurt to a bowl and enjoy.
Can make smoothies or can bake with this yogurt. You can add sugar or honey to sweeten if you want.
You do save money from buying different brands and you know what it is made from and you will have some on hand when you need it.
We really enjoy this yogurt better.
I also have a post on easy yogurt making:
http://domesticatedengineer.blogspot.com/2009/11/easy-yogurt-making.html
