Home Made Yoghurt

Ingredients

• 8 cups 1.5% milk (or whatever percentage you like)
• Starter yoghurt (4 - 8 oz) - your favorite brand

Necessary equipment:

• Digital yoghurt thermometer
• Double boiler (I use a pot inside a larger pot)
• Electric heating pad
• Bath towel
• Whisk
• Spoon

Directions:

Add 1/2 gallon milk (I often add an extra 1/2 cup or so to store separately after the yoghurt is done as my starter for the next batch) Put smaller pot in larger pot which has enough water so it doesn't spill over into the smaller pot when you put it in Put larger pot (with smaller pot in it) on stove Heat on high until thermometer in milk registers 185 degrees F You will need to stir this fairly frequently At this point I lower the heat so I can maintain the 185 temperature, and will keep it at 185 for an additional 30 minutes. I find that the more you do this, the more it contributes to the thickness of the final product Transfer smaller pot and thermometer to your sink (full of cold water) Stir constantly until temperature drops to 110 degrees Remover pot from sink. Add your starter yoghurt and whisk until it is completely blended Cover pot with lid On countertop lay out the bath towel (any reasonably large towel will do) Place heating pad on top of towel Put pot on top of heating pad Wrap the towel/heating pad so the towel completely surrounds the pot - avoid any gaps, etc. Plug heating pad in. The heating pad I have has three settings - I have it at the middle setting. Leave for 7 hours Remove from towel/heating pad Drain off any water (whey) from the yoghurt - being careful not to pour off your yoghurt! Whisk until completely smooth Pour off into containers (I use old 1 quart plastic yoghurt containers and/or 1 quart glass mason jars. (If you added extra milk above - pour this into a small separate container for your next batches starter) Refridgerate yoghurt Note: The extra heating time mentioned in the directions seems to contribute greatly to the thickness. Yoghurt creates lactic acid as a by-product, which gives the yoghurt a "tang". The longer you leave it in the towel, the "tangier" the result. I've left it in the towel for longer periods of time, but 7 hours seems to work well. I have seen directions where instead of heating pad/towel, you place the yogurt in open containers in a covered styrofoam picnic container with either a light bulb or jars of boiled water - the heating pad/towel works for me. I usually sweeten the yoghert with maple syrup in single servings when I eat it.