Homemade Yogurt

Posted by Raissa Nebie on July 27, 2009 | 10 Comments

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I love yogurt. As a child, most of my dinners ended with a healthy yogurt for dessert. But French yogurt is very different from American yogurt. It tastes better. A lot better. French yogurt also has a decadently creamy and velvety texture that I have not been able to find in any store-bought American yogurt. But that’s okay because what I can’t buy at the supermarket, I learn to make at home.

Have you ever had homemade yogurt? If not, you’re missing out on some serious deliciousness. It has a wonderful texture and none the acidic taste of store-bought yogurt. And the good news is that yogurt is very beyond easy to make — even without a yogurt maker. You just need to be patient and give the yogurt time to ferment and set.

A few things to note before starting.

  • Whole milk makes a thicker and creamier yogurt than reduced-fat milk. And if you’re thinking about using skim milk, you might as well skip this post.
  • The right temperature is important, so pay attention to this detail.
  • My mom adds a cup of powdered milk, which results in a thicker yogurt that takes less time to ferment. But if you can’t find powdered milk, feel free to use half milk and half evaporated milk. That’s what I do and it works fine.
  • You need a starter yogurt with live cultures. Greek style yogurt works best. After you make your first batch, you will be able to use a cup of your own yogurt to start the next batch.

Ingredients

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Option A
1 quart of fresh whole milk
1 cup of powdered milk
1 cup (6-8 ounces) of yogurt with live cultures (Greek style preferred)

Option B
750 ml of fresh whole milk
1 12oz can of evaporated milk
1 cup (6-8 ounces) of yogurt with live cultures (Greek style preferred)

Combined all the milk in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and wait for the milk to cool down to a temperature of 99-112 degree F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the temperature with your finger. The milk should be somewhat hot, but your finger should be able to sustain a 10 second dip comfortably.

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Once the milk has reached the proper temperature, mix a small amount with the yogurt to loosen it, and add to the rest of the milk. Whisk to ensure everything is well blended.

Pour the yogurt preparation into plastic containers or canning jars and place in a very warm place or in a 100 degree oven for 6-8 hours.

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If you do it overnight as I did, you’ll will wake up to some delicious homemade yogurt that you can eat for breakfast. Summer weather is perfect for yogurt making as it generally requires no additional heat.

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Filed under: Cooking, Dessert, French

Comments

10 Responses to “Homemade Yogurt”

    Jen @ MaplenCornbread
    August 4th, 2009 @ 6:00 PM

    I love making homemade yogurt, I agree it something that once you make once its hard to go back!

    Memoria
    August 5th, 2009 @ 2:10 AM

    What is the point of making homemade yogurt when you have to add already-made yogurt? I’m confused.

    Raissa Nebie
    August 5th, 2009 @ 2:36 AM

    @ Memoria. Because you need live cultures to get your yogurt started. You can buy starter cultures if you want, but those are a little harder to find and more expensive than plain yogurt.

    Believe me. Once you taste homemade yogurt, you will never look back again.

    Mary Lund
    August 5th, 2009 @ 10:17 AM

    Hello,
    I’d love to try this but am not sure how to let it rest at 100 degrees for 6-8 hours. Our gas oven turned off is 80 degrees. When it is turned on to the lowest setting “Warm” it is 150 degrees. I’d appreciate any suggestions you may have.

    Mary Lund

    Marina
    August 5th, 2009 @ 1:57 PM

    I’ve made a lot of yogurt at home by leaving it in the oven overnight, with the oven turned off. The pilot provides enough warmth but sometimes I “prime” the oven by turning it on low for a few minutes then letting it cool down mostly before I put my yogurt in. I use just a few tablespoons of yogurt for culture per gallon of milk and it works fine.

    Raissa Nebie
    August 5th, 2009 @ 2:09 PM

    Thanks for chiming in Marina.

    @ Mary. In the summer, I generally let the yogurt ferment overnight in a turned off oven and it works fine. The weather is warm enough to allow the cultures to grow. The low temp oven method comes in handy during the cold winter months, but you can leave the yogurt next to a heater or radiator overnight instead. Many people do that in Europe. As long as the room is warm, the yogurt should set.

    Mary Lund
    August 21st, 2009 @ 12:27 PM

    I’ve tried this recipe twice now and both times it has turned out chunky like cottage cheese. The flavor is good but I don’t care for the chunky texture. Any ideas if I am doing something wrong?

    Raissa Nebie
    August 21st, 2009 @ 5:45 PM

    Hi Mary, that generally happens when you don’t allow the milk to cool enough.

    Mary Lund
    August 25th, 2009 @ 12:31 PM

    I will give it another try. Thanks for the suggetion.

    Presley
    August 29th, 2009 @ 12:59 AM

    I’ve gotten the impression that my yogurt turns out like cottage cheese when I don’t heat the milk to a high enough temperature in the first place. Also, I use a thermos to keep the yogurt warm while it’s fermenting.

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