HOW to make yogurt?

Answer 1

You will need to gather ingredients such as milk, sugar, and salt. You will need to heat the milk. Then, cool the milk and warm the starter. Put the mixture in containers, allow the mixture to incubate and refrigerate. Add any extra ingredients and serve.

Answer 2

Yogurt is actually one of nature's best and easiest dairy creations. You can maintain a culture indefinitely (with a little consistent planning), and you can easily make creamy or non-fat yogurt by just changing the type of milk you use.

Cultured yogurt is inexpensive and does wonders for your digestive system. It is a good source of protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Yogurt may also boost the immune system and help fight infection.

What is Yogurt, Anyway?

Yogurt is fermented milk that contains a good-for-you bacterial that produces lactic acid. You insure you're culturing good and not bad bacteria by using a reliable starter source (like a dollop from an existing batch of yogurt).

If you don't like yogurt, you may be shortchanging yourself. Yogurt can have a very mild flavor that will work to thicken sauces or create creamier desserts. You've probably eaten yogurt as an ingredient in prepared recipes without even knowing it. Like tofu, yogurt gets a bad reputation that discourages people from experimenting with it as an ingredient. Yogurt may not be a super food, but it is one food you can make and use to your advantage.

Yogurt can add creaminess to sauces without piling on lots of fat. It can be used in sweet and savory dishes, and also as a base for soups and dressings. It's tasty on its own, too. You can add fresh fruit and sweetener to homemade yogurt for a treat that tastes good without lots empty calories, sugar and preservatives. Once prepared, homemade yogurt can last a week or more in your refrigerator and you can reserve a little for the next batch, perpetuating your starter.

How to Make Yogurt

You need to make sure you have two things to make yogurt: a bacteria free milk source and starter that contains a thriving yogurt culture.

You can purchase milk that's super pasteurized, carrying a UHP or UHT designation on the carton, and use it right out of the container. You can also use standard milk and heat it to 185 degrees F (85 degrees C) in a double boiler. The temperature is just hot enough to kill off any bad bacteria, so you'll need an instant read candy thermometer to do it right. In the old days, they used to determine the milk was ready by waiting for it to froth or foam up. This isn't the most reliable method, so avoid disappointment by knowing your temperature.

You'll also need to find plain yogurt that has active yogurt cultures (bacteria) to use as a starter. You can usually find it in the grocery store (it'll say it has live cultures on the label), but if you can't, most health food stores sell healthy yogurt cultures or dried culture starters. All cultures aren't alike. They can vary in flavor somewhat. If you're a yogurt purist, use a variety you already know you'll like, or experiment a little if you don't get the flavor you want on the first try.

Plain Yogurt Recipe

2 tablespoons yogurt starter

1 quart milk (whole milk will be creamier, but you can use skim, 1% or 2%)

Instructions for Making Yogurt

The actual process is very simple:

• Make sure the milk you're using is 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). A thermometer is important for this reading, too.
• Bring the starter to room temperature.
• Place the milk in a non-reactive glass or ceramic bowl.
• Add the starter to the milk and stir.
• Cover the bowl tightly and place it in a warm spot. Ideally, the spot should be around 100 degrees F (38 degrees C). You can use the top of your water heater or your gas oven with the pilot light on to provide the heat. You may also be able to use a slow cooker set on low. Lower temperatures will delay the development of the culture or kill it outright. Note: If you think you'll like making yogurt, you can always buy a temperature controlled yogurt making kit.
• Leave the yogurt batch alone for seven hours or longer. When jiggled, it should be pretty firm, almost like pudding or custard. The longer you leave it to develop, the firmer and stronger tasting the yogurt will become.
• Once it has reached the right consistency, pour off any residual liquid on top, and place the yogurt in the refrigerator. That's it.

Yogurt Tips and Tricks

If you're using skim milk, you will get a more dense and flavorful yogurt if you add a 1/4 cup of powdered milk to the mixture. It adds flavor without fat.

Every time you make yogurt, reserve a little in a separate container as a starter for your next batch.

Stevia, honey, slivered almonds, carob, trail mix and real maple syrup all make tasty ingredients in homemade yogurt.

Once used in a recipe, yogurt doesn't last long, so make smaller recipes and consume them within a few days.

If homemade yogurt starts to separate, which is common, just whisk it to reincorporate the whey with the solids.

The texture of homemade yogurt degrades once frozen, so plan on refrigerating small, regular batches instead of making one huge batch and freezing some. The recipe above can easily be halved.

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