Homemade Yogurt.

I made yogurt the other day. It’s way more simple than you might expect, too. You just need a couple things:

• A thermometer that reads high heat (dial, candy, wax, etc.)
• Something (crock-pot, heating pad) to maintain heat (110* F) for a prolonged period of time (7-9 hours)
• Metal or plastic spoon
• Bacterial starter (I used 3 tbsp of Plain Yogurt, from what I gather, any kind is fine as long as it has active probiotics)
• Milk – any fat % will do, skimmed as well. I used about 4 cups, but again, from what I gather, the amount of milk you use isn’t an issue. However much milk you use, will be your yield in yogurt.

**Please Note**

I’m not an expert, and I don’t pretend to be. Exercise all precautions in cleanliness and sterility, and don’t forget that in the process of making yogurt, you are trying  to create an environment in which bacteria grows. Although the bacteria you are growing is friendly and good for you, if you’re not careful, you could create a perfect environment for bacteria you don’t want to flourish. Make sure everything you use has been cleaned and rinsed thoroughly prior to use.

In other words, don’t be a fuckin’ idiot when it comes to things that could make you sick

That being said, yogurt is extremely easy to make.

Method:

1. Using a double boiler, bring your milk to 185*F, stirring constantly. **You can fashion a double boiler out of 2 pots, or a bowl. See here to read about a double boiler if you don’t know what one is. 
2. When 185* has been reached, carry your bowl/pot/milk receptacle to the sink, and cool it to 110*F by setting it in cold water or ice. *This won’t take long so keep an eye on it.
3. Add your starter (yogurt) to your 110*F milk, and stir in until combined.
4. Either cover and place on a heating pad and leave undisturbed for 7-9 hours, or transfer to a warm crockpot, and maintain a temperature of 110*F for 7-9 hours. The longer you wait, the thicker your yogurt will be.
5. Remove from heat source, and whisk/stir well. Cool overnight in refrigerator.

And that’s it. It’s that simple. Because it’s plain yogurt, it will probably need a little sweetening when you actually eat it, but other than that, it’s quite lovely. Smooth, and very silky in texture. I crush up frozen berries or fruit, mix it in with a pinch of sugar, and make a really spectacular homemade frozen yogurt.

Enjoy!