So, this isn't a jewelry post, but it is "handmade" in a sense....homemade yogurt! I started making my own yogurt a few months ago and I must say, it is MUCH better than store bought yogurt. And so easy. It has a milder flavor than store bought plain yogurt, you can strain it to get the consistency you want, and you know what is going into it.
First, get a good quality milk. Whole or 2% both work well. I like to get organic milk or milk without artificial hormones. This is some yummy local milk, which is more fun because it comes in a glass bottle. You can experiment with different milks to find what you prefer.
Next, use a double boiler or heavy bottom pot to heat the milk. I just make my own double boiler by putting a smaller pot in a larger one and filling the larger one with enough water to match the level of the milk in the small pot. If you use a pot directly on the burner, make sure you stir it constantly so it won't scorch on the bottom. I found that out by experience. :)
You will need to heat the milk to just at 180 degrees to kill any bad bacteria. Don't let the milk boil. A candy thermometer is nice because you can clip it on the side of the pot, but mine wasn't working quite right, so I used an instant read thermometer.
As soon as the milk hits 180 degrees, take it off the heat and let it cool down to between 105 and 115 degrees, which is the optimal temperature for the live cultures to do their thing. If you want to speed up the process, you can put it in a sink full of ice or cold water.
Once the milk has cooled down, add your starter yogurt with the live cultures. It's helpful to take a small amount of warm milk to mix with the yogurt so you can pour it in the milk.
Here I was using just a quart of milk, so I only used about 2 to 3 tablespoons of yogurt. For a half gallon use a half cup. That's all you need to get the cultures to do their magic, more in this case doesn't really make the yogurt better. Once you start making your own batches, you can measure out yogurt into ice trays to keep as future starter. Don't forget to let it thaw before you use it.
Pour the starter into the warm milk and stir or gently whisk until just incorporated.
Put the lid on the pot, cover with a towel, and put in the oven (turned off) with the oven light on. Sometimes I've put the oven on it's lowest setting while heating the milk and then turned it off while the milk was cooling, but I've also just put the pot in a cold oven with the light on. If your oven light doesn't emit any heat, you can also cover the pot with a towel and set it on a heating pad.
Leave the yogurt in the oven undisturbed for about 5 or 6 hours up to 10. The longer you leave it the thicker and more tart it will be. I usually make my yogurt in the evening and leave it overnight. I like it more on the thick side.
Then, in the morning, take it out of the oven, and voila! You have yogurt!
You may have some liquid whey on the top, which is fine (like the picture above). Just stir it back in. OR, you can strain the yogurt to thicken it up. Put a couple of layers of cheesecloth on a strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt strain until it gets to your desired consistency. If you over strain, you can stir some of the whey back into the yogurt.
Store in an airtight container and enjoy! I especially like mine with homemade granola. Check out a great recipe here on a great blog, cup-a cup-a.
Leave a comment and let me know if you've tried your own. Happy yogurt-making!
Bonus: Don't throw out the whey! The whey you strain off is full of good stuff. Save it in a jar in the fridge and use it in place of milk in baking or smoothies. I've used it in smoothies and it adds good protein and nutrients without much change to the flavor. I've also used it in pancakes, which turned out nice and fluffy.
What you'll need:
Good quality milk
Double boiler or heavy bottom pot
Good plain yogurt with active cultures
Candy or instant read thermometer
Oven or a heating pad
First, get a good quality milk. Whole or 2% both work well. I like to get organic milk or milk without artificial hormones. This is some yummy local milk, which is more fun because it comes in a glass bottle. You can experiment with different milks to find what you prefer.
Next, use a double boiler or heavy bottom pot to heat the milk. I just make my own double boiler by putting a smaller pot in a larger one and filling the larger one with enough water to match the level of the milk in the small pot. If you use a pot directly on the burner, make sure you stir it constantly so it won't scorch on the bottom. I found that out by experience. :)
You will need to heat the milk to just at 180 degrees to kill any bad bacteria. Don't let the milk boil. A candy thermometer is nice because you can clip it on the side of the pot, but mine wasn't working quite right, so I used an instant read thermometer.
Once the milk has cooled down, add your starter yogurt with the live cultures. It's helpful to take a small amount of warm milk to mix with the yogurt so you can pour it in the milk.
Pour the starter into the warm milk and stir or gently whisk until just incorporated.
Put the lid on the pot, cover with a towel, and put in the oven (turned off) with the oven light on. Sometimes I've put the oven on it's lowest setting while heating the milk and then turned it off while the milk was cooling, but I've also just put the pot in a cold oven with the light on. If your oven light doesn't emit any heat, you can also cover the pot with a towel and set it on a heating pad.
Then, in the morning, take it out of the oven, and voila! You have yogurt!
Leave a comment and let me know if you've tried your own. Happy yogurt-making!
Bonus: Don't throw out the whey! The whey you strain off is full of good stuff. Save it in a jar in the fridge and use it in place of milk in baking or smoothies. I've used it in smoothies and it adds good protein and nutrients without much change to the flavor. I've also used it in pancakes, which turned out nice and fluffy.
