Detailed description and instructions on exactly how to make your own yogurt from powdered milk--better than store-bought!
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Let sit in thermos 6 hourshours
Total Time 6 hourshours5 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 138kcal
Carbs (g): 11
Ingredients
1-1/4cuppowdered milk -- the powder, not milk made from the powder Use good quality powdered milk, see notes.
1/2cupwater. Avoid chlorine in water, see notes.
1-4tbspstarter yogurt. Must have live culture and no gelatin.
Instructions
Heat 3 cups of water to almost boiling (if it does boil, no problem). Pour it into the Thermos and put the stopper on. Let sit for a couple of minutes to pre-heat the Thermos.
Pour the hot water out of the Thermos and reserve in a container. Return about 1/2 cup of the hot water to the Thermos.
Add the milk powder and mix. Put a candy thermometer into the Thermos or use your instant-read thermometer after every addition of water. Alternately add hot water and regular-temperature water, mixing after each addition, so that Thermos is almost full (about an inch below where the stopper will come) and temperature is between 110 and 120 Farenheit.
If temperature is higher, let mixture sit until temperature has dropped into the correct range. If temperature is lower, remove some of the mixture and heat it, then return it to the Thermos and check temperature again. If temperature is too low or too high, the yogurt will not culture.
Once the temperature is correct, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of starter yogurt or 2 to 4 tablespoons of yogurt drink and stir it in. The mix should come almost exactly to where the bottom of the stopper will come. Put the stopper back on the Thermos and put in a place where it can sit undisturbed for 4 to 5 hours.
After about 4 hours, remove the stopper and look inside. If yogurt does not appear thick, replace stopper quickly so as not to lose the heat and check again in 1 to 2 hours.
Notes
This recipe is for a 3-cup Thermos. If your Thermos is larger or smaller, you will have to adjust the amounts accordingly, as the Thermos must be full to within 1” of the stopper for the contents to stay at an even temperature and the yogurt to culture well.I usually find that when I start a new batch of yogurt from commercial yogurt or yogurt drink, it takes longer to culture the first few batches. In fact, the batch I just started from a yogurt drink took 11 hours for the first batch! I think it’s because many commercial products have a relatively low concentration of live yogurt cultures—even those that prominently advertise their health benefits.When the yogurt is thick, pour it into a storage container and keep it in the refrigerator. If you leave it in the Thermos, it will continue to ferment, resulting in a very tart yogurt.You will notice a watery liquid on top of the yogurt. That is the whey. You can stir it into the yogurt or pour it off.When eating the yogurt, be sure to reserve at least a tablespoon for use as starter in your next batch. If the yogurt took longer than 6 hours to culture, use 2 to 3 tablespoons as starter for your next batch. I have found that the flavor and consistency of the first several batches gets better and better and it will culture more and more quickly until it gets down to 4 or 5 hours.This recipe makes a very thick yogurt, which is what we like. If you prefer a thinner yogurt, decrease the amount of powdered milk by 2 tablespoons at a time until it reaches the consistency you prefer.Low Fat Variation: To make low fat yogurt, very gradually substitute low-fat powdered milk for an equal amount of regular, and make it 2 or 3 times at each new level before increasing the amount of low fat milk powder. I have never been able to just switch to low fat all at once, and have found that making a slow transition produces the best results. I have also never been able to make a totally non-fat yogurt—it has simply not cultured for me even when my starter was from a non-fat yogurt.Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Basic Yogurt Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 138Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 105mg4%
Potassium 370mg11%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 260IU5%
Vitamin C 2.3mg3%
Calcium 255mg26%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.