Yogurt recipe

My mom and i have been making yogurt for a while now and i feel have a tested-and-tried method down pat. It's really easy and requires no special equipment except for a candy or cooking thermometer. We make gallon batches at a time, but you can use the same method with any amount of milk; just use less yogurt "starter."

Step one: the boil. Pour your milk in a big pot and heat on medium till it reaches between 180-186 degrees - i think 185 is ideal. You'll need to stir it occasionally, especially toward the end. This is the most time-consuming part. If you notice any milk scalding on the surface, just use a spoon to pull off the scalded part and pull it out. Once it reaches a hot enough temp, pull it off the burner *immediately.*

Step two: cool down. You need to get it back down to 110-120 degrees so you can add the starter, which is just normal yogurt (or leftovers from the last batch). I like to set the milk pot in a sink of cold water and whisk it till the temperature drops, which usually only takes five minutes. Again, as soon as it reaches optimum temperature (say, 115), stop cooling it. Now you're ready for...

Step three: add the starter. For a gallon of milk, i add anywhere between 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup, because i just dump in the leftovers from the last batch. But for the sake of scientific measurement, use 1/4 cup - that's how much i used last time and it turned out perfectly. if you're doing a half gallon, just halve that. Whisk in the yogurt starter and then pour the mixture into your jars or whatever containers you want to use. 

Step four: ferment. Is that the right word? I think so. Your yogurt needs to sit for 8-10 hours to firm up and get the culture growing. You want to keep it warm, but not too hot. I have a plastic bin lined with a towel and set the containers inside it, then cover them with a towel i've heated in the dryer and another towel on top of that. But you could just wrap them in a towel and it would probably be fine!

Anyway, i don't think you can go too wrong while making this stuff as long as you keep a careful eye on the temperature. That seems to be the real key to success. (But you have a pretty forgiving temperature range.)

That's all there is to it. I do really like the taste of homemade yogurt, but it's also way cheaper. A good thing when you go through a lot of yogurt!