Yogurt - Fresh, Homemade, and Tangy!

So I made yogurt the other day with every intention of taking pictures of the process, but didn't.  Then I decided that the pictures are pretty boring anyway - the entire process is very straightforward.  And very stage looks like a bowl of milk.  So here's the recipe with a picture of the bowl-of-milk stage mine is at right now.

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon milk (I am using 2% now, but skim milk works, and whole milk is delicious)
4 tbsp yogurt, with live active cultures in it (check the label to make sure.  I usually use greek yogurt, full fat, but right now I'm trying out the nonfat Fit n Active brand from Aldi; we'll see if it works)

This makes 2 quarts of yogurt.

Directions:

Heat (scald) the milk in a large saucepan or a pot on medium-low or low heat, stirring often (the higher the heat, the more frequently I recommend you stir, so as to prevent the milk from burning on the bottom of your pan).

Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature.  When it gets to 180 deg. F. (82 deg. C.), it is scalding.

Turn off the heat and let it sit until the temperature drops to 115 deg. F.

Transfer to a large glass bowl and whisk in the 4 tbsp of yogurt.  Sometimes I put the yogurt in the bowl first and whisk the milk into it.

Lightly cover the bowl and place in a warm place for 36-48 hours.  I have a gas oven that is always a little warm, so I keep mine there. My mother places it on top of her water heater, which also works very well.  My grandmother wraps hers with multiple towels when it is still warm from the cooking (It doesn't seem to me like that would keep it warm the whole 48 hours, but it works for her).

You can check it after 24 hours to see if it is solid.  Mine always takes longer than 24 hours, though.


Here is what mine looks like after 24 hours.  You can't really tell from the pics, but it's still pretty runny.  Tilting it a little to the side, some liquid slid from the top.  When it's done, it won't move if you tilt it a little.

After it has solidified, place a couple of paper towels on top to absorb moisture, and stick it in the fridge.  Eat it with honey, or mint and cucumber.  We eat it over eggs with salt and pepper sometimes.  Or in smoothies, it is fabulous.  Matt has suggested we should make "frozen yogurt" with it sometime, and I am definitely looking forward to that!

Now, if you forget about the yogurt, and you bolt up after 72 hours worried that you've ruined it, fear not.  It will just be super tangy, which I personally love. (Growing up, I literally cheered every time my mother forgot her yogurt, because then it got super good.  And putting tangy yogurt in fruit smoothies, oh wow...heaven.)  Once or twice, we have found a small spot of mold on the surface of the yogurt after leaving it too long.  But we just scooped it out and the rest was fabulous.

I advise immediately storing a few tablespoons of your new yogurt in a tupperware or glass airtight container so you have your "starter" yogurt for the next time you make it.  It will just get better and better.