Post by admin on Mar 3, 2009 9:37:51 GMT -5
Does anyone else make homemade yogurt? I do and we think it's every bit as good as f*ge's. When we make it, we make a LOT. You don't wind up with 2 gallons of yogurt, it shrinks as the whey drips out later.
Here's what i do:
Materials needed: 2 gal milk, 1 cup(or more if you want) f*ge plain unsweetened Greek yogurt, 3 new plastic dishpans, heating pad, 2 biggest plastic colanders you can buy at Walmart, 2 big pieces of cheesecloth or muslin to completely line the colanders and be able to pull up sides of the cloth to twist and squeeze out whey. I hear you don't have to use as much yogurt to start your homemade, but I really like mine super creamy thick.
I use two gallons of whole milk (or 2% or nonfat)and 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt,(f*ge brand best for first time, then use some of your homemade for your next batch) and make it up in a new plastic dishpan purchased at Walmart. You'll need 2 clean, dry dishpans for the two colanders full of yogurt when you are draining the whey from the yogurt so yogurt will become thicker.
1.Heat the milk in a big pot (or two pots) on the stove on medium until tiny bubbles form around the edge, just before it wants to boil,no hotter.
2. Cool the milk to lukewarm in the pot(s)
3. Take about 4 cups of the lukewarm milk and mix the your one cup or more plain Greek yogurt(f*ge brand best) and mix until well blended, then pour it into the pot of lukewarm milk. and stir well to blend.
4. Pour the milk mixture into ONE clean, dry plastic dish pan. In a cool house,set the dispan on top a heating pad to keep it warm (in summer keep the air conditioning off or as warm as you can stand. You have to have the pan wrapped completely in clean towels to keep any drafts off and keep it warm enough to do what it's supposed to do. I cover it with a folded blanket on top and sides as well.
5. Let the yogurt sit there for 24 hours to be completely thick. It's not rocket science, but after 24 hours you're pushing your luck because it can taste too strong after that.
6. When the yogurt is extremely thick, no longer soupy, but really coagulated thick thick, line the two colanders with cheesecloth, letting cheesecloth hang over the edge all the way around.
7. Place your lined colanders each inside a clean plastic dish pan. Pour each full of your lukewarm yogurt mixture. This is what is going to really make your yogurt turn from plain old yogurt to really nice thick creamy Greek style yogurt.
8. Pull the sides of the cheesecloth up on all sides and tie the cheesecloth with cotton string at the top. Like this, when the whey drains out, you can keep squeezing the yogurt to get more and more whey out.
9. When as much whey as possible is out and you're satisfied that its super thick and creamy, untie the string. The yogurt will be clinging to the cheesecloth, but take a butter knife and scrape the yogurt off the sides, it's super creamy and yummy and completely sanitary. Srape out all into containers to refrigerate until time to eat it. I store mine in canning jars with lids in the refrigerator because we use canning jars for many things at our house.
Now, flavoring. You can add sugar, Splenda, truvia, Agave Nectar, Honey, and mashed berries, jam, jelly or you can try what I do below.
Flavoring Your Homemade Yogurt
I'm not wild about sweet berry type yogurts, so in my homemade greek style yogurt that's already made, I add lots of cinnmon and Truvia for sweetener or just chocolate whey protein powder. The whey protein makes me think I've got pudding.
Thinking of other unusual flavors that might taste good. Maybe teeny bits of pretty edible flowers for color? Chai spice?? Any flavored powdered coffeemate
Ground nuts and seeds (sesame, hemp seeds-healthfood store,nuts and raisins) coconut?
Here's what i do:
Materials needed: 2 gal milk, 1 cup(or more if you want) f*ge plain unsweetened Greek yogurt, 3 new plastic dishpans, heating pad, 2 biggest plastic colanders you can buy at Walmart, 2 big pieces of cheesecloth or muslin to completely line the colanders and be able to pull up sides of the cloth to twist and squeeze out whey. I hear you don't have to use as much yogurt to start your homemade, but I really like mine super creamy thick.
I use two gallons of whole milk (or 2% or nonfat)and 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt,(f*ge brand best for first time, then use some of your homemade for your next batch) and make it up in a new plastic dishpan purchased at Walmart. You'll need 2 clean, dry dishpans for the two colanders full of yogurt when you are draining the whey from the yogurt so yogurt will become thicker.
1.Heat the milk in a big pot (or two pots) on the stove on medium until tiny bubbles form around the edge, just before it wants to boil,no hotter.
2. Cool the milk to lukewarm in the pot(s)
3. Take about 4 cups of the lukewarm milk and mix the your one cup or more plain Greek yogurt(f*ge brand best) and mix until well blended, then pour it into the pot of lukewarm milk. and stir well to blend.
4. Pour the milk mixture into ONE clean, dry plastic dish pan. In a cool house,set the dispan on top a heating pad to keep it warm (in summer keep the air conditioning off or as warm as you can stand. You have to have the pan wrapped completely in clean towels to keep any drafts off and keep it warm enough to do what it's supposed to do. I cover it with a folded blanket on top and sides as well.
5. Let the yogurt sit there for 24 hours to be completely thick. It's not rocket science, but after 24 hours you're pushing your luck because it can taste too strong after that.
6. When the yogurt is extremely thick, no longer soupy, but really coagulated thick thick, line the two colanders with cheesecloth, letting cheesecloth hang over the edge all the way around.
7. Place your lined colanders each inside a clean plastic dish pan. Pour each full of your lukewarm yogurt mixture. This is what is going to really make your yogurt turn from plain old yogurt to really nice thick creamy Greek style yogurt.
8. Pull the sides of the cheesecloth up on all sides and tie the cheesecloth with cotton string at the top. Like this, when the whey drains out, you can keep squeezing the yogurt to get more and more whey out.
9. When as much whey as possible is out and you're satisfied that its super thick and creamy, untie the string. The yogurt will be clinging to the cheesecloth, but take a butter knife and scrape the yogurt off the sides, it's super creamy and yummy and completely sanitary. Srape out all into containers to refrigerate until time to eat it. I store mine in canning jars with lids in the refrigerator because we use canning jars for many things at our house.
Now, flavoring. You can add sugar, Splenda, truvia, Agave Nectar, Honey, and mashed berries, jam, jelly or you can try what I do below.
Flavoring Your Homemade Yogurt
I'm not wild about sweet berry type yogurts, so in my homemade greek style yogurt that's already made, I add lots of cinnmon and Truvia for sweetener or just chocolate whey protein powder. The whey protein makes me think I've got pudding.
Thinking of other unusual flavors that might taste good. Maybe teeny bits of pretty edible flowers for color? Chai spice?? Any flavored powdered coffeemate
Ground nuts and seeds (sesame, hemp seeds-healthfood store,nuts and raisins) coconut?