Fresh Homemade Yogurt...

My friend Masako makes yogurt....she recently went to Japan and learned to make it and brought home the starter ...she brought  me a start.... about 4 tablespoons of the yogurt...huh- seriously??? just 4 tablespoons for a half gallon of milk? I did some reasarch on the computer of people who make their own yogurt and their are so many different recipes and instructions out there.....Yogurt has been made and enjoyed for over 4000 years in the middle east.....Early pioneers made Clabber, a form of yogurt made much like Masako has...The pioneers would strain the Clabber and make a farm cheese spread, much like cream cheese of today...most people who are lactose intolerant can eat yogurt.....again there is a science here about the good bacteria eating the bad bacteria during the process....so lets get started....I made two types, one Masako's and one recipe from the internet....

first buy the milk you will use...It is important to start with good milk...I bought mine from Twin Brook Farm..they milk Jersey Cows and it is pasteurized at a low temp and not homogenised...it is enough to kill the harmful bacteria, but it still has cream on top....yogurt needs a lot of protein to work well, the more protein in the milk the thicker it will be...some people give their milk a boost with half and half or even with powdered milk....I would like to try organic milk from grass fed cows and goats milk....

Masako said you need a plastic container and need to really clean it well...again that is what all recipes have in common is making sure everything is sterilized well.....

I poured boiling water in the bowl  and rolled it around, well...also sterilize the spoon you will be using and lid for the bowl....

pour in the milk, the cream will float.....

pour in your starter.....this is the 4 tablespoons that Masako gave me... you can use any good yogurt, look for the words organic and natural on the label.... also at a Health food store you can buy a powder packet of yogurt starter.....

stir......well....

and here it is....you make this and put on the lid and let it sit on the counter for about 8-10 hours..I made mine at night, so it would be ready in the morning....

here it is the next morning....very creamy and the cream on the top looks like butter.....

perfectly thick......

I put it in a plastic container to put in the fridge, it will thicken quite a bit more when it is cool.....then enjoy, just remember to save about a half cup of the yogurt to make your next batch...this yogurt tastes like cream...it is not tart at all, it will be great used in recipes and as a topping for fruit....I am so happy with it! Now for the next version...

I put a quart of whole milk in a pan and cooked it to over 180 degree...you want it to boil....the cream looks like butter.....

over 180....we are killing all bacteria here.....

cool to 110 degrees....then.....

put in your own starter, I used Grace Harbor...it is a great yogurt that I buy when ever I find it, it tastes great and has the 'good' bacteria and all natural.....

it is a thinner yogurt, yet creamy....

mix it in with the 110 degree milk and stir, I poured it back in the milk bottle, but wished I would have used a wide mouth jar..... or a funnel

I heated the oven up to the lowest setting and turned on the light...I will use the oven as an incubator....I put the lid on the yogurt milk mixture and ......

I turned the oven off, left the light on and set the mixture in the middle...shut the door and left over night...the light on kept the oven warmish....

the next morning the yogurt was ready.....

It has separated quite a bit....and had firmed up nicely....

I poured it in a container and it is still warm....this would be a great one to strain and make into a spreadable cheese....I didn't though I whipped it and made it creamy.....

you can put a dollop of jam in it to sweetened or a drizzle of honey....it is so great!!!! and healthy!!!

I love it so much!

Cheers to Happy  !!