Yogurt

This seems like a long, involved process, but it's actually really easy. In a nut shell, you are heating milk, then adding yogurt, covering it. Setting it aside for 7 hours, then pouring it into a container and chilling overnight. So don't be scared of this long recipe, after the first time it will be really simple.

Ingredients and Equipment
1 Half gallon of milk
2-3 Tbs of plain yogurt (as a starter)
1 8-10 Qt stock pot and 1 4-5 Qt pot with lid or a double boiler
1 Metal or plastic spoon
1 instant read thermometer (With a range of at least 100°-185°F)
1 Heating pad or Hotplate

•Place larger pot in sink. Place smaller pot inside of it.
•Fill larger pot until water line goes about half way up the side of smaller pot. The smaller pot is going to want to float. Hold it down while filling larger pot with water. (If you are using a double boiler just fill the bottom pan)

•Have your milk and 2-3 Tbs of yogurt out at room temperature throughout the following steps.

Sterilize Equipment
•Place your thermometer and spoon in the large pot of water
•Place smaller pot upside down over larger pot
•Heat water until boiling
•Once a boil is reached, use oven mitts to remove hot items, and dry with paper toweling.
•With a set of tongs, quickly sterilize the smaller pot lid by dipping in boiling water.

Boiling Milk
•Place the smaller pot into the larger pot of boiling water.
•Carefully pour milk into the smaller pot. (Check to see that water level in larger pot and milk level in smaller pot are about the same. Too much water, and the pot will float, too little water, and the milk won't heat evenly.)
•Clip your thermometer to the rim of the smaller pot
•Heat to 185°F (If you do not have a thermometer, this is the temperature at which milk begins to froth, like in a latte.)
•Stir frequently

•While you are waiting for the milk to reach 185°F, fill your sink about 1/4 of the way with cold water and add some ice.

•Once the milk has reached 185º, remove from heat and transfer the pot to the cold water bath to cool it to 110°F (The temperature at which yogurt cultures reproduce themselves.) You can wait for the milk to cool on its own, but this is much faster.
Stir occasionally

Pitch Your Yogurt
Pitch simply means to add, and comes from the world of brewing. Brewers pitch yeast to make alcohol, you'll pitch yogurt to make more yogurt!

•Pour your 2-3 Tbs of yogurt into your 110°F milk
•Stir milk well to distribute yogurt.
•Cover with lid.
•Set heating pad to medium and place on a cutting board.
•Place pot of pitched milk on top of heating pad.
•Cover with a dish towel
•Wait seven hours

Yogurt is created using "helpful" bacteria (usually lactobacillus bulgaricus or streptococcus
thermophilus, or both), which cause the milk to ferment. When added to milk at 110°F, they consume the sugar found in milk, called lactose. As a result, the milk thickens or curdles, and lactic acid is produced as a byproduct. The lactic acid gives yogurt its "tangy" taste, and preserves the milk from spoiling. The longer your yogurt sits, the thicker it will get and the more tangy it will become. Make your first batch at exactly seven hours, and then adjust according to your taste preferences.


Now that you have patiently waited seven hours, it is time to see what you have made.
•Remove from heating pad and uncover yogurt. You will notice a pungent, cheesy odor, and maybe even some greenish liquid on top.
•Use a spatula to see that milk has curdled.
•Stir vigorously to mix curds in with liquid.
•Carefully pour yogurt into container.
•Cover with tight fitting lid.

You may notice that your yogurt is much thinner than typical store bought yogurt. Store bought yogurts typically use pectin and other thickeners, to make them seem creamier. And, your yogurt is not yet in its finished state.

Chill Overnight
Rigorous stirring and then chilling will cause the bacteria in yogurt to stop consuming lactose and producing lactic acid. Place yogurt in the coldest part of your refrigerator (the back). Wait overnight

Notes:
•Your refrigerated yogurt will be much thicker now. Kept refrigerated, it will last 2 to 3 weeks.
•Your yogurt has no sugar added at all. Mix with fresh fruit, honey, granola, jellies & jams, or however you currently enjoy yogurt.
•Be sure to reserve 2-3 Tbs of your yogurt for you next batch!