(Why Aren’t You Making) Homemade Yogurt

STORY

Sometimes we think things are hard when they’re not. I’d always assumed that yogurt required special aging time, like cheese, and I lived most of my life purchasing little yogurt cups, or big yogurt quarts. Guess what? Yogurt takes just a few minutes of active time to make. When I say a few minutes, I’m talking about 10 minutes, tops. This vexes me, since I believe I may have single-handedly supported the yogurt industry since I was an infant. I eat a lot of it: I have it almost everyday for breakfast. (I should totally be yogurt’s spokeswoman.) And once I realized  how easy it was to make, I felt like I had been a victim of a cover-up.

There are plenty of ways to make yogurt – but it always involves 2 ingredients: milk, and a starter (usually a bit of yogurt or a yogurt culture). Are you feeling duped, too?

You should! So why aren’t you making your own yogurt?

Here are some extra photos to show you how easy it is:

My yogurt maker which Salton discontinued (Why Salton? Why?!) You can buy another one for about $32 on Amazon.

My yogurt after an 8 hour cycle. I just left it alone.

Looks good, right?

And the final yogurt mixed with fresh fruit, two tsp of sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and a sprinkling of granola:

Ready to make your own, aren’t you? Without further adieu, the recipe:

RECIPE

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Inactive Time: 8 hours (perhaps while you are away at work)
• Total Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes

TOOLS

• 1 3-1/2 quart sauce pan
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 digital thermometer
• 1 yogurt maker

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of whole milk or 2% milk (do not use skim milk – it won’t set properly)

½ cup of powdered milk

½ cup of yogurt

METHOD

1. Warm 4 cups of whole milk (or 2% milk) and ½ cup of powdered milk until it almost boils, and stir gently until combined.
2. Turn off the stove, and remove the milk mixture from heat to cool.
3. After 8 minutes place a digital thermometer into milk mixture – the thermometer should read between 110° F – 115° F (43° C – 46° C).
4. Stir in ½ cup of yogurt.
5. Place yogurt mixture into a yogurt maker, and let sit for 8 hours.
6. Enjoy all the money you’ll save from making your own yogurt.

Tip: Eat your yogurt within 5 – 7 days of making and remember to save 1/2 cup of yogurt so you can make more.

(Photo Credits: Matthew G. Piccolo)