Making yogurt????

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Does anyone make thier own yogurt, and if so, how do you do it? I think Ann said she did on an earlier post. I bought a yogurt maker at a thrift store-alas, no instructions. I tried using a store bought "starter", and a mix of powdered milk and whole milk. I blended it together, and set it in ( in jars, of course) a small cooler with hot water on a heating pad. This worked fairly well. Still, it tends to get Gummy-any hints, suggestions???? Thanks.

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002

Answers

Not sure what you mean by "gummy"--hard parts not mixed in? I make yogurt after dinner by heating the milk until it almost boils. Cool to where you'd test on your wrist like for a baby bottle. At that point add a couple tblsp of active culture yogurt to the (a quart) of cooled milk and mix. I boil a cup of water in the microwave to heat the air in the microwave. Remove cup of water and put the yogurt bowl in the microwave over night. It retains the heat and yogurt is ready for breakfast. Use glass containers/bowls, cover with a clean dish towel. BTW I heard you can make entirely with powdered milk.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.

That is so cool, Ann! I've got to try that!

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), January 06, 2002.

Bring a gal of milk to 180 cool to 105-110...stir in about 2T of store bought yogurt to cooled milk, pour in container/jars wiht lids...wipe jars...put in warm place or on a heating pad cover with towel, I use a heating pad. This isn't quite as thick as the grocery kinds, but it's good and not near as sour as either.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.

Thanks Ann, I'm going to try that. How much and what kind of milk do you use? It sounds like a quart? I used half powdered and half whole-I've never tried entirely all powdered though I've also heard you could.

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002.

Oops! I should have read your post more carefully, Ann it is a quart. I've not tried the microwave for yogurt, though I do that trick for rising bread, Wow, how cool.

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002.


What kind of milk? Whatever kind I have available--at the moment I am keeping whole, 2% and skim for various kids, nephews/nieces and baby goats. But it is thicker the more fat in the milk. If I use skim I usually add a little dry milk--it seems to make it a little less soupy. Or maybe if I left it longer it would be the same, or it would be the same if I added more yogurt....My life is all one BIG science experiment (unfortunately so, say those who live with me....)

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.

Ann, in my experience, if I leave it longer it gets thicker. If I add more yogurt culture it gets more sour.

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), January 06, 2002.

You can also try using a wide-mouth thermos, and set it in an unused ice chest. I have tried the microwave method, but my kitchen is kind of cold, and it didn't work very well. Hope you have better luck!

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 06, 2002.

GT: My kitchen is cold too--but the boiling of water just before putting in the yogurt does the trick!

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.

Thanks, Ann. I will try that. Maybe also during the day when it is warmer instead of overnight, too.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 07, 2002.


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