Making Yogurt Success

I have read various instructions over the years, in fact my parents had one of those yellow Salton brand yogurt makers with six class containers -- as a child I would gag trying to eat plain yogurt (especially when it was served with cracked wheat cereal for breakfast -- blech -- and my parents wouldn't let me put the amount of brown sugar *I* wanted on it!)

Well, now that I'm officially "middle-aged" and have become so much like my parents -- the past few months I've really been trying to get back to basics in many facets of our home -- one of which is the case for making yogurt and cheese.

I read a food storage cookbook that has instructions for making yogurt and cheese using powdered milk -- I figured I'd better learn how even with regular milk (we buy whole milk delivered weekly in glass bottles) and I hate to waste milk.

Did you know that yogurt and cheese were just ways to not waste milk (prevent it from spoiling) before the days of modern refrigeration. So, I'd like to know what I can do with milk long before I loose modern conveniences of electricity or refrigeration.

I did a quick Google search and found some simple instructions for making yogurt -- and thanks to also talking with various friends who make yogurt -- I adapted the instructions a little bit -- my adaptations are in italics.

How to Make Yogurt

• 1 qt milk (any kind)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup non-fat dry milk (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons existing yogurt with live cultures (or you can use freeze dried bacteria instead)

1. Heat milk to 185F Use a double boiler, to prevent milk from burning. If you heat it directly you must stir it constantly. If you do not have a thermometer, 185F is the temperature at which milk starts to froth. (I used a thermometer, and only heated it to 110F -- my friends only heat to 100F and it still works.)
2. Cool the milk to 110F by putting the pot in a cool water bath, this will quickly and evenly lower the temp and requires only occasional stirring. Do not proceed until the milk is below 120F and don't allow it to go below 90F. 110F is optimal.
3. Warm the starter. Let the starter yogurt sit at room temp. while you are waiting for the milk to cool. (I did this while I was heating the milk to 110F) This will prevent it from being too cold when you add it in.
4. Add nonfat dry milk, if desired. Adding about 1/4 c to 1/2 c nonfat dry milk at this time will increase the nutritional content of the yogurt. The yogurt will thicken more easily. This is especially helpful if you're using non-fat milk already.
5. Add the Starter. Add 2 T of the existing yogurt or the freeze dried starter. (What I did instead was put it in a cup, and add about a 1/2 cup of the hot mil to it first, stir it well to mix, then add it to the pan -- is what I did, all the other instructions I've ever read, says to do it this way)
6. Put the mixture in containers. Pour your milk mixture into a clean container or containers. Cover each one tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.
7. Allow the yogurt to incubate. Keep the yogurt warm and still to encourage bacteria growth, while keeping the temperature to close to 100F as possible. An oven with a pilot light is one option. (I tested the temperatures of my heating pad, the lowest setting was exactly 100F, so I put it in a recycled Quart yogurt container w/lid, wrapped it in the heating pad and placed it into a small cardboard box with lid to contain the heat inside.) After seven hours (mine was still runny, but I could see some of the bacteria around the warmer areas of the container, so I stirred it and left it for 5 more hours) you will have a custard-like texture, a cheesy odor, and possible some greenish liquid on the top. This is exactly what you want. The longer you let it sit beyond seven hours, the thicker and more tangy it will become. (mine ended up sitting for 12 hours and was a perfect yogurt consistency!)
8. Refrigerate the yogurt. Place the yogurt in your fridge for several hours before serving. It will keep for 1-2 weeks, if you are going to use some of it for starter, use it within 5-7 days so that the bacteria still have growing power. Whey, a thin yellow liquid, will form on the top. You can pour it off or stir it in before eating your yogurt.
9. Add additional flavorings. Experiment until you develop a flavor that your taste buds fancy. (I put some stevia in it, and the kids actually like it)
10. Use yogurt from this batch as starter for the next batch.

Click here if you'd like to see the original recipe and the extra tips.

I'll be posting my experience making cheese soon! I'll go dig out those food storage instructions for making it from powdered milk!!!