How To Make Yogurt

Name: How To Make Yogurt (VIDEO)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 720 min
Ingredients: 1 liter Whole Milk; 2 Tbsp plain Yogurt

Published: Jun 24, 2019 · Modified: Sep 2, 2019 by Lola Osinkolu

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The idea of making homemade Yogurt may look a bit complex but it is not as complex as it seems. This method of making Yogurt is very easy, does not require the use of Yogurt maker, Crockpot or Instant Pot. All you need is a quality whole Milk and a previously made or store bought yogurt.

In this recipe, I used two heaping tablespoons of plain Yogurt from a store-bought Yogurt as my starter. All I did was, Boil milk, let it cool, add the yogurt, leave in the oven for a few hours and that is basically it! This method will give you a thick, rich, and creamy homemade Yogurt.

Another alternative to the starter culture is the packaged powder bacteria Freeze Dried Yogurt starter you can get that on Amazon. I really don’t use that because I almost always have Yogurt in my fridge so I simply use that as my culture.

How to make the thick Greek yogurt.

Fold a cheesecloth 4-6 layers and hang it for a few hours so that the water in the Yogurt can drip from it and you will be left with a rich, thick and creamy Yogurt.

I used the “pinky test” (no thermometer) and incubated in my Oven with the light on to create a warm environment for the Yogurt bacteria to grow.

A Thermos will also do this perfectly. It’s extremely easy and economical, and resulted in a very mild yogurt that doesn’t require much sweetening, and has lots of versatility.

A dutch oven or a heavy disc bottom pot will be a great help to reduce scorching of the Milk so it’s a good idea to invest in one.

Do you need further help in making your homemade yogurt? Read below to get the answers to the FAQS about Yogurt.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON MAKING HOMEMADE YOGURT

WHY DO YOU NEED TO BOIL THE MILK BEFORE MAKING YOGURT?

The biggest reason to heat milk to almost boiling before fermenting is that it improves the texture of the yogurt.

During fermentation, the bacteria consume lactose and produce lactic acid which causes the milk proteins to denature and coagulate trapping most of the fat. The proteins involved are primarily the casein proteins.

When this happens, there is still quite a bit of protein left that isn’t bound up in the new casein mesh. All of the albumin proteins are water soluble and will not add to the structure of the yogurt.

These albumin proteins denature when you heat them. For this reason, recipes universally call for us to heat the milk to 190 and then cool. The albumin is denatured and is able to tangle up with the casein during fermentation and add to the yogurt structure.

Skipping this step will make a very profound difference to the structure of your yogurt. Without it, your yogurt will be thinner and much more fragile. When you scoop it there will be more whey and all that albumin will wash out in it

IS MAKING YOUR OWN HOMEMADE YOGURT COST EFFECTIVE?

Making your own homemade yogurt will save you very when it comes to monetary value, but it’s good to make it at home at least once in a while not just because it tastes so much better but it provides more active cultures which are highly beneficial to the health.

Most of the commercial yogurts aren’t incubated/cultured properly and then need fillers to make them thick.

HOW DO YOU GET A THICK AND CREAMY HOMEMADE YOGURT?

Keeping a consistent temperature and leaving the Yogurt undisturbed between 105-110º will yield a thick, creamy and sweet Yogurt. If possible, leave it overnight and if you still want it thicker, simply strain it with a cheesecloth. Please refer to my explanation on how to make thick Greek yogurt above.

WHAT IS YOGURT STARTER?

According to culturesofhealth dot com, a yogurt starter is a carefully balanced blend of bacteria which consume lactose. This blend of bacteria converts the lactose in milk to lactic acid, giving yogurt that classic, deliciously tangy taste.

The starter contains live bacteria culture that converts the Milk into Yoghurt

Notes:

I don’t make use of thermometers for my homemade Yogurt, however, I will suggest you get one if you are worried about temperature measurement

Use whole Milk. This Milk produced the richest and thickest Yogurt

I only used 2 tablespoons of Yogurt from a store-bought yogurt, I did not use any packaged starter for this recipe.

I sprinkled my homemade Granola on my yogurt but you can use fruits or any other flavorings of your choice.