Homemade Yogurt

Dear Natasha: How to make yogurt. Love your sister.

Homemade Yogurt

2 L (8 cups) 2% or whole milk (thicker and creamier with more milk fat)
1 cup milk powder (I had to use skim, thats all I could find) this makes the yogurt nice and thick.  If you can't find it or don't want it you can leave it out, but the product will be thinner.
4 Tbsp yogurt.  If you want to avoid the lactose in your yogurt start with one this has very low lactose levels.  The yogurt must be plain.  Pick your favourite kind because this is what the end product will taste like.

This is what I do:
The first batch, where I have to buy the yogurt from the store I make half of this recipe.  Otherwise I have way to much yogurt.  When you get low on the stuff you made, make a full batch.  I make it before I go to work and when I come home take the incubating yogurt and stick it in the fridge.

Heat the milk and whisked in milk powder into a large pot.  Place a thermometer in and slowly heat until it registers 180 degrees F.  Turn the heat off and move the pot to another burner.  Take the yogurt out of the fridge so it comes to room temperature while we are waiting.  Wash your jars and place a comforter in the dryer to warm it up.  Watch the temperature fall to 115 degrees F.

Whisk the room temperature yogurt (this is so the yogurt doesn't decrease the temperature of the milk) to the milk mixture and quickly pour into clean glass jars.  Right away wrap the jars in towels and rush it to the warm blanket.  Fold the blanket up tight and do not disturb for 8 hours.  You are incubating the bacteria which turns the milk into yogurt.

Cozied up.

Nestled tight.

Tucked in.