Make Your Own Yogurt

You should make your own yogurt if it is something you eat often. Homemade anything always seem to taste better since we tend to use the best and freshest ingredients we can get and put our heart and soul in making it. Homemade yogurt if made the right way will definitely beat the store-bought ones. And probably cheaper.

I know there are already a lot of homemade yogurt recipes out there so this post may seem uninteresting. But….. I couldn’t resist to share with you the yummy goodness I got from every batch I made and I really hope you can be inspired to start making your own.

Making yogurt at home is really not a complicated process. First, you boil the milk to 180-190 degrees, then cool it down to 115-110 degrees, add in the yogurt culture and let it sit in a warm place for 6-8 hours. The main challenge here is the temperature but this will not be an issue with a digital thermometer on hand. You can use a yogurt maker but if you don’t own one (I don’t), or prefer to do things the traditional way, you can always use a claypot or any glass jar and still churn out good stuff.

To keep the yogurt warm, I left them overnight in the oven with the pilot light on. The heat from the light will be able to keep your yogurt warm throughout. Alternatively, just place it in the warmest spot in your home or make it in the daytime when the sun is fiery. Just try not to disturb it while the bacteria are at work during that few hours. When the time is ripe, you will see something magical.

If you compare different recipes, you will find that the steps are actually quite similar. The difference is in the type of milk you use. Some use low-fat, some full-fat, some organic, some add milk powder. The type of starter also determines the difference in every batch. Use your favorite brand of yogurt as the starter, just make sure the yogurt has live cultures indicated on the label. The fun thing is, you can experiment with different types of milk and starters, every batch will come out somewhat different but if you ensure that the ingredients are fresh, you will always be rewarded with good yogurt. If you like Greek yogurt, you just need to strain the whey away and you’ll get thick Greek style.

I thought I would share with you a really simple and healthy dessert. Simply place some of your homemade yogurt in a serving bowl, add a few drops of rose water and give it a gentle stir. Drizzle some honey, scatter sweet pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios.

HOMEMADE YOGURT

I’ve tried with and without milk powder, I prefer the addition of milk powder. But you can always omit it and get a slightly thinner yogurt but still delicious.

Ingredients

4 cups of fresh low-fat milk, preferably organic

2 tablespoons of milk powder (I used the brand Anlene)

1/2 cup of plain unsweetened yogurt with live cultures

Directions

• Heat the milk on a stove at medium low heat to 180F-190F which is 82C-87C. Not to the boiling stage. Remove from heat and let it cool to 115F-110F which is 46C-43C.
• Place the yogurt in a medium bowl, add 1/4 cup of the cool milk to the yogurt and mix gently. This is to allow easier blending. Add in the rest of the milk and stir gently. You don’t want too much air bubbles.
• Pour into a well sterilized jar. Do not cover with the lid, instead cover it with a piece of clean cloth. Place the jar in a warm spot or in the oven with the pilot light on. Do not disturb it for 6-8 hours.
• When it’s done, place them in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before use. You may cover the lid after 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Keeps well for 1 week. You can reserve half a cup for your next batch.