9/1/11

How to Make Yogurt.


Heat a quart of milk to 180ºF, whisking it gently. Any type of milk, non-fat to full-fat, will make great yogurt. I use raw, whole milk, which I buy at  Grassroots Market. In Florida, raw milk is supposedly ''only good for pets.'' Depending on which state you live, raw milk might be great for you, or completely illegal to consume. It tastes great.

When the milk reaches the desired temperature (don't let it go any higher than 185ºF), turn off the flame, and let the milk cool down. If you want to speed the process up, place the hot pot of milk on top of a bowl of ice, but keep watching the thermometer, because the milk will cool pretty fast.  

When the milk cools to about 120º (don't let it go any lower than 50ºC), mix a flat tablespoon of plain yogurt into the milk and whisk it until it is completely dissolved.

Pour the mixture into a quart-size ball jar, close it, and let it sit at room temperature for about 11-12 hours. 

Since I have the air conditioning running during the summer, I put it inside the oven. In the winter my house is too cold and drafty, so I put it in a small cooler with a hot water bottle to keep it warm.

You will probably have a small amount of yogurt mixture left over. Don't throw it away (never throw away food!). Put it in a small jar or bottle. That will be the ''starter'' for your next batch of yogurt.

When the yogurt is ready, store it in the refrigerator.

Remember that, when it comes to yogurt, more is not necessarily better. Use only a flat tablespoon of yogurt per quart of milk. If you use more, the yogurt will come out ''runny''- too much culture for the amount of milk. 

Any type of plain yogurt works for the first batch. I buy full fat plain organic yogurt in order to make my first batch.  Low fat and non-fat work as well, but I personally like my food with full fat. It is more nutritious, yummier and more filling. I eat less of it, and yet its taste makes me happy. Quality instead of quantity.

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