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It’s 33F and snowing big wet snowflakes since this morning. It’s a good day to try making yogurt. I have a Kenmore Yogurella YM100 yogurt maker that I bought from Tuesday Morning, probably about five years ago and never used. I had the directions a few months ago, but now they are misplaced. I went online and had a difficult time finding a manual, but I found the directions, then read up on making yogurt using Google. I'm giving this project its own thread in case another poor soul out there is looking for that illusive instruction manual.
I have a nice All-Clad saucepan with heavy bottom that did well for heating 800ml of 1% milk, with 2 Tbs. Bob’s Red Mill milk powder whisked in before starting. The milk powder is supposed to make creamier yogurt when using low-fat milk. I saw 3-4Tbs. in some recipes and decided to start with 2Tbs. for my yogurt project.
I heated the milk to 190 (193 in the center), using a candy thermometer clipped to the pan, and Thermapen to check the center. I had read that it is a good idea to keep the milk at that temperature for about 10 minutes, so I did so. I used a high heat spatula to stir, but I was pleased that the pan kept the milk from sticking. I removed from the heat to allow it to cool down to about 108F. I left in the thermometer, so that I could keep an eye on it, and I covered the top of the pan with a tea towel and set it on a rack on the counter. When I would make yogurt years ago, the towel seemed to help prevent a skin from forming over the top. Note: the amount of milk is about one jar full (not counting the neck of the jar. This yogurt maker’s six jars have screw on lids—a big advancement over the snap on plastic lids of the past that would eventually split and be impossible to replace. The yogurt maker itself is a simple rectangle under a plastic rectangular domed top.
After 30 minutes, the temperature was at 137F. I stirred it, replaced the towel. After another 30 minutes, the temperature was 110F. I put a cup of the milk into a 2-cup glass measuring cup. I whisked in 170g (about ¾ cup) full-fat Stoneyfield yogurt, then added this mixture back into the milk in the pot, whisked it, and divided it between the six containers. The jars are not overly full. I might increase the milk by 50 ml next time. The jars are now in the yogurt warmer. The directions say 4-6 hours. I’ll check at 5 hours.
I used to make my own yogurt all the time, beginning in the late 1980s. I went through two yogurt makers because I used them so frequently. I also have one packed away that makes a large quart container. I may pull it out and give it another go as well.
Yogurt was inexpensive for a while, and so was not worth my time to make it, but now that milk prices are relatively low, and I live in a rural area where it is hard to get what I consider healthy yogurt--i.e. no added sugar, no thickeners, live cultures, and low or nonfat--it makes sense to make my own. It will also cut down on the number of non-recyclable yogurt containers I have to throw away. I can only find uses for just so many of them, although a small string of Christmas lights packed nicely into a quart-sized Chobani yogurt container, and its clear lid makes it easy to find them in the decorations. We also used some of those containers when we were painting.
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