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For the last few years I have been making my own yogurt. It’s easy, I can make as much or as little as I might need, and it is totally fresh without preservatives or added sugar. It’s great in a smoothie, or just dished up with fresh fruit. Use it anyway you would use a store bought yogurt.
I use the cooler method. Basically it goes like this:
- Heat up milk ( I use regular 4 percent milk) to 180-185 degrees F
- Cool the milk down to 110-115 degrees F (to hasten along, set the pot in some cool water)
- Stir in some active yogurt culture – I often use a coupe tablespoons form the last batch. After a few batches I may buy a small container of plain yogurt or Activia to provide some new cultures into it.
- Pour into mason jars, and place them in a cooler. Fill halfway up the sides of the jars with warm, but not hot, water.
- Let the cooler sit a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.
That’s it. I makes yogurt just like that. No fancy equipment, no machine.
For more explicit directions and pictures, from which I originally found the recipe go to:
Nourishing Days recipe page.
This yogurt will easily keep in the fridge 2-3 weeks. Too long and it will lose it’s fresh taste and get watery (just like a store bought yogurt).