As you know, we aren't buying groceries this month so..... I'ma makin' yogurt! And, boy is it ever easy!!! I shall never have to pay $$$$ for yogurt again - not to mention organic!
Here's what you do to have some fresh yogurt in your fridge.
Have 4 cups milk - bring to room temp. As you can see here, I am using whole organic milk since this batch is for sweet Javier. Notice his name in TWO places so his siblings and father don't drink the little lads milk!
A few tablespoons (I like 4 tb., also 1/4 c) of either yogurt from your prior batch (see below)or store bought. It must have life cultures to work! This is your "start."
Add the room temp milk to a saucepan and heat to 180 degrees. Stir often. Not too hot of heat or it will scald! Trust me here. (I just use my Pampered Chef meat thermometer.)
Important stirring part. Once you reach 180 degrees, turn off heat and set aside. Let the milk cool to 115. All the while the yogurt needs to be at room temp. Once the milk is at 115, take 1/2 cup of the milk and add the yogurt "start" to the 1/2 c milk. Stir and then add that combo to the whole pan of hot milk. This is done quickly so the milk is stil 115.
While the milk was heating to 180, you got out your trust Stanley thermos and filled it with boiling water, right? Good. Now, empty the thermos of the water and fill with the milk mixture. Close it up tightly and set the thermos on your top oven rack as close to the oven light as you can. Leave the oven light on, close the oven door and "forget" about it for 4 -6 hours.
The internal temp will remain 110-115 degrees. At the end of your forget about it time, pour the YOGURT into a bowl. 
Cover with a lid and refrigerate overnight. It will be set and cold and ready for breakfast! I like using the small batter bowl since I can always find its lid. That's not said for other containers I have. Also, I like using glass as I read it is more sterile than plastic?!?!
If the plain flavor is too tart for you or those eating it, come serving time, add applesauce, jam, vanilla flavor or I guess just plain sugar though cough cough I would NEVER do that. Applesauce, yes and usually do for Paco. ;)Enjoy! It's so easy and tasty I don't think I'll buy it again!!!
Isn't homemade yogurt great? I do it similar to this...I haven't done it in a while though, but now you've inspired me to make a batch. Yum!
ReplyDeletehello,
ReplyDeletein india i experienced how easy it is to make your own yoghurt, but of course with our cold temperatures here it doesn't really work. therefore it's a genious idea to use a thermos!
i just wonder why you put it in the oven (is it heated?) and why under the oven light. shouldn't it also work if you just leave it on the kitchen table?
sorry if this question is not very smart... we all have to learn don't we :-)
lots of greetings,
stefanie
Stefanie,
ReplyDeleteThe oven isn't heated but it is insulated which will help keep the temp where you need them to stay. I also have heard of people wrapping the thermos in towels and placing in a cooler (they are insulated also). The oven light puts off some heat but not like having the oven on.
GL and let me know how it turns out!