Home-made Yogurt

OK, so it may seem a little disingenuous to suggest making a product at home when one of the ingredients is the store-bought version of the same product, but, if done properly, it is self-perpetuating and will not require any more store-bought yogurt. So bear with me...

Heat 1.5 cups milk to just below a boil (this is called scalding). Switch off the heat and allow it to cool to between 105 and 110 F (you will need an instant-read thermometer). Pour into a sterilized thermos, and stir in 2 tbsp room temperature plain yogurt (make sure to buy one with live cultures in it). Close the lid of the thermos and allow to sit for 3-4 hrs. After 3 hrs, check the consistency of the contents - they should have thickened considerably. Taste - it should taste like yogurt! If it tastes right and has thickened, you can remove it from the thermos and store in the fridge. It should last for a week, but it will only be viable as a starter for another batch of yogurt for 5 days. So be sure to save a few tablespoons to start the next batch.

Recipe based on one from the Joy of Cooking, by Irma S. Rombauer et al.

Note 1 - I have a pretty small thermos, which is why I only used 1.5 cups of milk. If you have a larger one, measure the volume (fill with water and pour into a measuring cup) and scale up your ingredients.

Note 2 - If you do not have a thermos, you can use sterilized glass jars. Pour the mix in, close the lids and place in a 100 F oven or an insulated cooler. Check after 3 hrs, and proceed as above.

Note 3 - Metric Info: 1.5 cups = 350 ml; 105 F = 41 C; 110 F = 43 C; 100 F = 38 C.