Half the Sugar Baker
You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own yogurt at home! With just two ingredients and no special equipment, you can make the creamiest yogurt ever. This is also a super fun experiment for people just getting into fermentation and the world of microbiology in food!
First some science!
Yogurt is a type of fermented milk, meaning that lactic acid producing bacteria convert the sugar in milk into lactic acid. This thickens the milk and also creates that classic tangy flavor. This is why it’s important to keep the milk warm during fermentation so that the bacteria has the right conditions to grow. These bacteria provide many benefits to our health, including improvement of our gastrointestinal functions.
Fun fact: Did you know that the first records of yogurt go all the way back to 5000 BC?
Ingredient notes:
- Milk: I chose to use 2% milk, which resulted in a super smooth and creamy yogurt. If you wanted an even creamier and richer yogurt, you could use whole milk. You can also try 1% milk, but it will not be as thick and creamy.
- Yogurt: To make homemade yogurt, you need a little bit of premade yogurt. This is because we need to borrow some of the lactic acid producing bacteria. Make sure that the yogurt you use lists live and active cultures on the ingredients label. The good news is that once you make your own homemade yogurt, you can continue to use it as the starter for your next batch!
Technique notes + tips:
Before you start, make sure to sterilize all your equipment and utensils by putting them in boiling water, running them through the dishwasher, or hand washing with warm water and soap. This prevents the growth of bad bacteria.
I also recommend that you use a thermometer for the best results, because you want to create the best environment possible for the bacteria to grow, but you don’t want it to be too hot. Also, proteins in the milk starts to change once heated to certain temperatures, and using a thermometer allows us to create the best possible result. If you don’t have a thermometer, don’t worry, you can still easily make your own yogurt.
When you heat up the milk, make sure to stir frequently to avoid scorching on the bottom of the pan. If it does scorch, don’t scrape it off into the milk mixture. Just clean it off after you pour out the milk.
You do not want to heat the milk too rapidly. You want to hold it at around 195ºF for around 10 minutes. There should be small bubbles around the edges but it should not be boiling or simmering. Once done heating, remove the pot from the heat and let the milk cool until it is 108º-112ºF. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test this by sticking your (clean) finger into the mixture. It should feel warm and soothing, but not hot. At this point, you can mix in your yogurt.
Once you mix in the yogurt, you need to keep the milk mixture warm, at around 104ºF. This allows the bacteria to grow and ferment the milk. There are a couple of ways to do this. The easiest is to use a yogurt incubator, but many people don’t have that. Other ways include:
- Pouring the mixture into a thermos and wrapping in a blanket
- Putting the mixture near a heating vent
- Putting the mixture in a insulated cooler under the sun
- Wrapping the mixture in a blanket and placing it near a heating pad
- Putting the mixture in the oven with the light turned on or with a pot of steaming water
- Pouring the mixture into a jar and placing the jar in a warm water bath. For this method, the water should be around 104º-110º degrees. Make sure the water does not go over the top of the jar.
The yogurt mixture is done incubating once it forms a jelly-like consistency. This usually takes 6-8 hours, but you can leave it for as long as 12 hours. The longer you let it ferment, the tangier the flavor will be. Once done fermenting, immediately transfer the yogurt to the fridge and let it chill for at least 4 hours before serving. For a thicker yogurt like greek yogurt, strain the yogurt through a sieve lined with cheesecloth while it chills in the fridge.
If you liked this simple homemade yogurt, you might also like…
For more recipes that include microbes (like yeast), check out my bread recipes!
Simple Homemade Yogurt
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk whole milk or 2%
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with live and active cultures
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring milk to 195ºF over medium low heat, stirring frequently. There should be small bubbles along the side of the pot, but no boiling or simmering. Heat the milk at 195ºF for around 10 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and let it cool to 108º-112ºF. To check without a thermometer, stick your finger into the milk. It should feel warm and soothing, but not hot.
- Add the yogurt to a small bowl and whisk in around 1/2 cup of the warm milk. Then whisk the yogurt mixture back into the pot with milk. Transfer the mixture to a separate container with a lid. Keep it warm at roughly 104ºF for 6-12 hours. To do this, you can keep it in a thermos, insulated cooler, on top of a heating pad, in the oven with the light turned on, or in a warm water bath. The longer you let it sit, the tangier the flavor gets.
- Once the mixture reaches a jelly like consistency, transfer the mixture to the fridge for at least 4 hours to chill before serving. Enjoy!
