I was recently asked which yogurt do I consume regularly and my answer was I make my own yogurt at home. This kept me thinking that making yogurt at home is not considered as trivial as I thought... duh! So here is my attempt to provide you a recipe of making your own yogurt and you would probably never go back to the store bought.
Ingredients:
4 cups of whole or 2% milk
2 TBSP live culture (Trader Joe organic greek style yogurt)
Steps:
Makes 4 cups
1. Boil about 4 cups of milk until it rises (about 185 F). You could choose to use 2% or whole organic milk.
2. Let the milk sit on the kitchen counter top for 15-20 minutes until the milk becomes lukewarm about 110 F. If you do not have a thermometer, you can check by placing a couple of drops of the milk on your index finger. It should be lukewarm to touch.
3. Stir in the culture and mix well and keep in a dry warm place for 6-8 hours (e.g. Oven or Microwave turned off)
Tip: In winter, warm oven at 170F for 3 minutes and turn it off before placing the mixture
4. Use a live culture to cultivate the milk into yogurt
I find the "Trader Joe - Organic Greek Style Yogurt" (see below) as a good culture to use for your first batch. If you do not have a trader joe near your place, you can try a greek yogurt available at your supermarket. Check the ingredients to ensure it contains live culture (e.g. Lactobacillus)
The best part is that once you make the first batch of yogurt, you can save 2-3 tablespoons of this yogurt for your next batch. The saved culture as the yogurt stays well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days although you will be tempted to finish it way before that.
5. After 6-8 hours, check if the yogurt is done by shaking gently horizontally - The yogurt is done if it is set and does not move.
Tip: Add honey/agave syrup and your favorite fruits blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, bananas as per your taste for a great snack
OR
Add grated cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, grapes and cilantro with some salt/crushed pepper as a great side to a meal.
Let me know how it turns out. I would love to hear from you on how you like your yogurt!
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