I've made my own cheese before -- several different kinds, in fact -- but I've never done homemade yogurt. With cheeses it can sometimes be difficult to find a really good cheese of the variety you want. Or the labeling is too vague for you to really be able to tell what it's gonna be like. So making your own can provide some clear benefits. With yogurt, the labeling generally provides ample information and I'm really spoiled for choice on types and flavours. All that being said, I figured it'd be nice to try making some yogurt because it's one of the quicker and easier cultured dairy products to make. And also, from a somewhat completionist standpoint, it'd be nice to say that I've done it.

Yogurt

From the Home Creamery by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Ingredients

• 1L whole (3.25%) milk
• 1/4 c. plain yogurt¹

Directions

1. Heat milk to 85°C (185°F).
2. Allow to cool to between 40 and 46°C (105-115°F)².
3. Whisk in yogurt.
4. Hold at 43°C (110°F) for 6-12 hours. (I like to pour it into Mason jars before incubating. Volume will be slightly more than 1L due to added yogurt so use three 500mL jars.)
5. Transfer to fridge. Yogurt should keep for ~2 weeks.

Tips:

• For milder yogurt, use less starter (only 2-3 Tbsp.) and incubate only 6 hours. For tangier yogurt, use the full 1/4 c. of starter and incubate 12 hours.
• Some whey may separate out. It may be poured off or stirred in. Stirring in will result in thinner yogurt.
• To make thicker yogurt, stir 1/3 c. dry milk powder into milk before heating.
• For even thicker yogurt, sprinkle 1 tsp. unflavoured gelatine over milk after stirring in milk powder.

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Variations

Greek Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1L whole (3.25%) milk
• 1/4 c. plain yogurt

Directions

1. Make yogurt as above.
2. Line a fine mesh strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth (or a single layer of butter muslin) and set over a large mixing bowl or pot.
3. Once yogurt has finished incubating, pour into lined strainer and let drain overnight.
4. Transfer yogurt back to jar (or storage container of choice) and refrigerate.

Vanilla Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1L whole (3.25%) milk
• 1/4 c. plain yogurt
• 2-4 Tbsp. honey
• 1-2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make yogurt or Greek yogurt as you prefer.
2. Stir in honey and vanilla. If your honey has a very strong flavour use only 1-2 Tbsp. and, if it's still not sweet enough, add 1-2 Tbsp. of sugar instead of more honey.

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¹ Make sure that the yogurt you're using as a starter has live cultures. Also be sure that it doesn't have any sweeteners, flavourings, or gelatin. ^Back
2 The author says that it should only take 5 minutes for the milk to cool down to an appropriate temperature, but mine took ~30 minutes! ^Back