Okay, given that the first batch of yogurt I tried with the sweeteners set up properly, and that the newest batch tastes okay after “rebatching,”  I am going to assume that my original method works well (when the toddler doesn’t interfere with the incubation) and go ahead and share.

We don’t care for plain yogurt.  (Well, the toddler does, but no one else eats it.  We just cook with it.)  But I’m not a big fan of just stirring stuff in later.  In my opinion, it just tastes like plain yogurt and whatever I put in it, not like sweetened, flavored yogurt.  But I was afraid to try adding honey before making the yogurt.  Honey is antibacterial and I didn’t know if it would interfere with the process.  Then I saw a yogurt recipe that called for adding the honey at the beginning, and got brave enough to try it. I make a gallon at a time, because it’s just as much work to do a smaller batch, and the larger one only takes a couple extra minutes.  The “you will need” is what I use; after reading through the instructions, there are some things you will find you can adapt.  The ingredients, of course, are required, and the incubation method is necessary.

You will need:
milk
plain yogurt (for starter; you can use a commercial starter if you like but I haven’t ventured into that territory yet.)
vanilla (for flavored yogurt)
honey (for flavored yogurt)

jars (I use four quarts and a pint.)
large saucepan
wooden spoon
ladle
candy thermometer
heat source/incubation method (I use an Excalibur dehydrator.)

What to do:

Yogurt-making may seem complicated if you aren’t familiar with it, but the general process is actually very simple: raise the temperature of the milk sufficiently to kill off any unwanted bacteria* (so they won’t interfere with the growth of the bacteria you do want), lower it again to a temperature that will allow the desirable bacteria to grow, add the bacteria you want, and then hold it at that temperature long enough for them to grow.  That’s the short version.  Here’s the more detailed version:

1. Pour a gallon of milk into a large saucepan and set it over moderate heat.  Attach/insert the candy thermometer.  Scald the milk by bringing it to about 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring it occasionally with the wooden spoon so it won’t burn.  (Scalding should bring the milk to just below the boiling point.  Apparently, this is 180 at sea level.  You can just watch for when tiny bubbles begin to form on the surface, but I find a candy thermometer easier.  If you are very far above sea level, you might need to let the milk come to a slightly higher temperature.) For me, this usually takes about 45 minutes.  I like to stir it one last time to make sure it’s fairly evenly heated.

2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit until the milk has cooled back down to between 110 and 115 degrees.  (Leave the candy thermometer in.)  It will begin to form a skin on top as it cools.  I don’t stir it, so I don’t break up this skin and mix it into the milk, but I do usually swirl the pan a bit occasionally to help mix the milk underneath the skin.  This step usually takes about 1-1/2 hours.

3. While the milk is cooling, prepare your jars.  I like to measure everything out into each individual jar and mix it in the jars, rather than stirring everything into the pan later.  There are two reasons for this.  One, I don’t have to mess with the math if I am making a larger or smaller batch; I just measure the ingredients jar by jar.  Two, I can do different flavors (or un-flavors) in each jar.  (This is also handy when experimenting with new flavors.)

Into each clean quart jar, measure 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt.  (This is your starter.  It’s non-negotiable.)  For vanilla yogurt, also add 2-3 tablespoons of honey (We found that we prefer 3; you can do different amounts in each jar the first time to experiment, if you like.) and 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla.  (You can also add the sweetener but not the vanilla, if you like.) Add half as much starter to the pint jar and leave it plain; you can use the contents of this smaller jar as starter for your next batch.

4. When the milk has cooled to the proper temperature, remove the skin.  I just scoop it off with the wooden spoon and throw it out.  (I think you can feed this to chickens, but we don’t have chickens.  Yet.) Remove the candy thermometer so it’s out of the way, and ladle a ladleful or two of the warm milk into each jar.  Put the lids on, and shake them well until the starter is evenly distributed, the vanilla is mixed in, and the honey has dissolved.  If necessary, wipe off the jars where some dribbled around the lids and down the sides.

5. Remove the lids and ladle in the remaining milk.  Be sure to leave a tad bit of headspace in each one, because you will have to shake them again.  Replace the lids and shake each jar one more time to mix the starter-filled milk from the bottom with all of the new milk you just added.  Wipe down the jars again, if necessary.  (Use something warm and wet, because the honey in it will make them a little sticky.)

6. Incubate the yogurt by holding it at 110-115 degrees for 6-8 hours.  I use an Excalibur dehydrator, and it’s great.  I can put it in at an exact temperature and set a timer for 7 hours.  Because it doesn’t hurt anything for the yogurt to sit at room temperature for a few hours, I can even do this overnight.  It will turn itself off when it’s done and I can put it away in the morning.  (I may have to start doing it this way exclusively, as that way Sophia can’t change the temperature!)

Personally, I wasn’t able to successfully make yogurt until I had this consistent an incubation method.  Others have been successful with using an oven with a pilot light or a “keep warm”  setting, a crockpot full of water and preheated (‘though I don’t think you could fit this many jars in it as once), a cooler, a heating pad, and/or just wrapping the jars in warm towels.  Keep in mind that if you are using an actual heat source as your incubator, you can afford to let the milk cool down more before beginning the incubation process.  If your incubation method is primarily insulation, you can’t cool it down too far, or it won’t be warm enough to start with.  I would only cool it to 115 and try to work quickly from there.

When it’s done incubating, just pop it in the fridge.

If you already have a yogurt-making method you’re happy with, and just want to sweeten/flavor it…
Add 2-3 Tbsp. honey (we prefer 3) and 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla per quart.

*
It is my understanding that if you are using raw milk, you can make raw milk yogurt by not scalding the milk first.  Although we get raw milk, I have not yet tried this.  I understand that it can affect the texture of the yogurt, as there are competing bacteria.  It would, however, have health benefits that the regular yogurt does not have.

A note about texture, adding powdered milk, using gelatin, etc. …
I use whole milk, and the texture of our yogurt has been wonderful, without the addition of anything else.  It is plenty thick, and not runny at all.  I intentionally do not add powdered milk, as I prefer not to use powdered milk when I can avoid it.  The heat processing of the milk can negatively alter the milk proteins, and most skim milk powder has other ingredients added.  If your yogurt is not turning out as thick as you would like, you can add gelatin as a stabilizer.  This is something else I haven’t tried, as I haven’t needed to.  If you would like to give it a try, the recipe I got the flavoring ratios from suggests a heaping 1/2 Tbsp. of unflavored gelatin, soaked in 2 Tbsp. cold water and well mixed, stirred into each quart before adding the flavorings.

Filed under: Frugality & Economics, Health & Safety, Kitchen, Cooking, & Recipes by Rachel
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