Homemade Yogurt

Yogurt is one of my everyday foods. Brimming with protein, calcium and many other vital nutrients, I turn to this great white to help meet my daily nutritional needs. Besides, I adore the rich, creamy taste – I don’t waste my money on the fat-free, sickenly sweet weapons of mass production. But with dairy costs seemingly always creeping upwards (especially for organic), I made the decision recently to have a go at crafting my own. After some trial and error, I’m almost down to a 100% success rate, which is saving a bunch of cash and, as a bonus, is cutting down on the amount of containers ending up in the recycling bin.

What you need
Food thermometer
1 1/3 cup non-instant skim milk powder
¼ cup plain yogurt
1 liter glass jar

How to make it

Scrupulously clean all your equipment and your hands with hot, soapy water to kill off any unwanted bacteria which could ruin your yogurt. Fill jar with water to about 2 inches from the top. Pour the water into a saucepan and heat until 100-110°F. Pour 1 cup of the warm water into a blender and the remainder back into the jar. With the blender on its lowest setting, add the milk powder and yogurt. The instant the mixture is smooth, turn off the blender. Add the milk mixture to the jar and close the lid tightly. Set the jar in the warm oven and let set for 3 or more hours. When the surface of the yogurt resists a slight touch, place the jar in the refrigerator to cool completely and thicken further. Occasionally, you’ll get a batch that does not set. But failures are still great in smoothies.

Note: If using an electric oven, pre-heat it to its lowest heat setting for 2 minutes, turn off, and put in a pot of boiling water along with the yogurt jar. If you have an oven with a gas pilot light, turning it on for a few minutes and then turning it off before adding the yogurt jar should provide enough warmth. You want the temperature of the environment during yogurt setting to stay between 90°F and 120°F. As an alternative to the oven, pour some hot water (115°F) into a cooler, add the jar, and shut the lid, checking every now and then to make sure the internal temperature is in the correct range. Replace water as necessary to maintain warmth.