Yogurt - Simplified

Yogurt -Simplified

Heat milk to 180, cool to 105-115, add *yogurt starter and other add-ins if you want flavored yogurt. Stir, then put a lid on the container. Put in oven and turn on the oven light. Leave 4 hours. Tip sideways to see if thick. If not wait another hour. If done, put in fridge to cool.

Pour 1 3/4 c. whole milk into pint jars

Heat in microwave to 180°
...It took about 13 minutes for these 4 pint jars to reach 180°

If you want vanilla yogurt, add 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 t. vanilla extract to heated milk.
Stir until sugar is dissolved.
If you want plain yogurt, skip this step.

Cool to between 105°-115°.
I like to put the jars in some water to speed it up the cooling process, stirring occasionally.
 In North Dakota, I put the jars outside to cool in the winter. 
 Be careful with the temperature change, I've had jars crack if the water's too cold.

Add 1/2 T. plain yogurt (this is your starter) to each jar and stir until mixed well.
 After you make your own yogurt, save some of it and use it as a starter.

A tip I've heard, but haven't tried yet is.... save some whey that you've drained off to use as a starter.

Put on lids, place in oven near the light and turn on the light.
Leave for 4 hours.
Check to see if it's done by gently tipping the jar. If it's still runny, recheck in 1 hour.
If it's solidified, put it in the fridge to cool or enjoy warm.

***(I have a gas oven that does not have a very warm light. I turn on the oven for 2 minutes to warm it up.. I reach in and feel that it is warm, then I close the door, shut it off, and leave the light on.  

 In GA, I had an electric oven that only needed turned on for 1 minute to warm up)

YOGURT - SIMPLIFIED RECIPE
Heat milk to 180, cool to 105-115, add *yogurt starter and other add ins if you want flavored yogurt. Stir and put a lid on container. Put in oven and turn on the oven light. Leave 4 hours. Tip sideways to see if thick. If not wait another hour. If done, put in fridge to cool.

Plain Yogurt - PINT
1 3/4 c. milk
1/2 T. *plain yogurt or starter

Vanilla Yogurt - PINT
1 3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 T. * plain yogurt or starter

Fruit yogurt - PINT
1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. fruit
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 T.  *plain yogurt or starter

Vanilla Yogurt - 1 quart
3 3/4 c. milk
3 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. *plain yogurt or starter

*Dannon and my own yogurt are my favorite starters, but I've also used a generic brand raspberry yogurt as a starter and it worked just fine.  I freeze 1 T. amounts on a silicone mat, put them in a freezer bag to use as my starters.  Just bring them to room temperature while the milk is heating up.

...ALSO TRY...

If doing large batches, I heat milk in a pan on the stove and then pour into jars to cool.

Making it in Quart or half pint jars :)

 Blueberry yogurt 

I put 1 1/4 c. milk and 1/2 c. frozen berries in the pint jar

 and followed the rest of the steps like making regular yogurt. 

Cream Cheese Substitute

Drain the yogurt in cheese cloth or a large coffee filter. It becomes like cream cheese as the whey drips off and can be used  for a delicious cream cheese type fruit or veggie dip. 

Greek Yogurt is yogurt with some of  the whey drained off.

Use the whey for pancakes or as a starter for your next batch of yogurt.

 Leave a comment below and let me know how you use your yogurt.