How to Make Yogurt or Greek Yogurt

This is how to make yogurt or Greek yogurt at home with just 2 ingredients. It makes a rich, creamy, healthier, and wholesome. Use it with granola, parfaits, cakes, and as well as other cooking or baking recipes.

Table of Content

• Why make homemade yogurt?
• Ingredients and substitutes
• Homemade yogurt (with yogurt starter)
• Homemade yogurt without yogurt starter
• How to make Greek yogurt
• How to make
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
• Join the conversation

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Today, I share with you a recipe that my mom and grandmom have been using for years. In fact, my mom made yogurt almost every day of her life. To her, it was a part of her daily routine. Also, she did not use any special equipment or thermometers. I distinctly remember my mom's routine

• The milkman would bring milk at 7 pm every day.
• Then, she would take it to the stove and bring it to a boil. Leave it to cool.
• Once cooled, she'd divide the milk into three portions.
• She'd use leftover yogurt to make a fresh batch at night before she went to bed and left it by the stovetop.
• And, in the morning, she'd wake up at 6 am to make our lunch boxes, and she'd put the it in the fridge so it would be cold for breakfast.

Why make homemade yogurt?

• It needs only two ingredients!
• No special equipment is needed - yes, all you need is a bowl and whisk.
• It is so much more affordable to make at home rather than buy it at the store.
• Homemade yogurt is more healthier and nutrioius with active bio which is very good for your body.
• While the process takes time it really is fairly simple and easy.
  • Scale the milk - 5 mins
  • Cool to room temperature - 1 hour
  • Add the active bio culture - 2 mins
  • Keep in a warm place - 4 to 6 hours
  • Store in the fridge - up to a week.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Milk -we prefer to use whole milk in our home for all things but you can use 1% or 2%. The difference is that whole milk will be a wonderfull thick luscious like you see in the picutres but skimmed milk will have more whey obviously because it lacks milk fat.
• Active bio culture - You can find freeze dried yogurt sachets on Amazon called Active Yogurt Culture. And yet, I strongly suggest you go to the nearest supermarket and look in the dairy aisle. There will be one that contains Active Bio Culture. Usually, they are labeled as BIO.
• Citric-acid - If you do not have active bio yogurt you can also use citric acid or freeze dried active culture.

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Homemade yogurt (with yogurt starter)

• Scald - pour milk in a saucepan and heat on medium until it almost comes to a boil. (180°F or 82°C)
• Cool - Cool the milk to room temperature (110°F or 43°C). Pour the milk in a glass jar or stainless steel bowl but do not use aluminum.
  Pro tip - You do not need a thermometer. Just leave it until it is barely warm similar to milk used for making bread.
• Culture - Add the active yogurt to the milk and combine well with a whisk.
  Pro tip - I like to take half a cup of milk in a bowl and add the yogurt. Use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Then add this to the rest of the milk.
• Rest - Cover the milk jar with a clean kitchen cloth or paper hand towel and store in a warm place untouched for 4 to 6 hours.
  Pro tip - Do not put the lid on tightly. The yeast in the milk needs to breathe.
• Chill - After 4 to 6 hours,  it should have been set. Place it in the fridge and let chill for a couple of hours.
  Pro tip - at this point the culture is set but leaving it in the fridge will help it mature better without becoming too sour.

Homemade yogurt without yogurt starter

• Scald - pour milk in a saucepan and heat on medium until it almost comes to a boil. (180°F or 82°C)
• Cool - Cool the milk to room temperature (110°F or 43°C). Pour the milk in a glass jar or stainless steel bowl but do not use aluminum.
  Pro tip - You do not need a thermometer. Just leave it until it is barely warm similar to milk used for making bread.
• Culture - Add the citric acid or freeze dried culture starter to the milk and combine well with a whisk.
  Pro tip - Adding citric acid to hot milk will cause it to curdle so make sure the milk is at room temperature.
• Rest - Cover the milk jar with a clean kitchen cloth or paper hand towel and store in a warm place untouched for 4 to 6 hours.
  Pro tip - Do not put the lid on tightly. The yeast in the milk needs to breathe.
• Chill - After 4 to 6 hours, it should have been set. Place it in the fridge and let chill for a couple of hours.
  Pro tip - at this point the culture is set but leaving it in the fridge will help it mature better without becoming too sour.

How to make Greek yogurt

• Scald - pour milk and cream in a saucepan and heat on medium until it almost comes to a boil. (180°F or 82°C)
• Cool - Cool the milk to room temperature (110°F or 43°C). Pour the milk in a glass jar or stainless steel bowl but do not use aluminum.
  Pro tip - You do not need a thermometer. Just leave it until it is barely warm similar to milk used for making bread.
• Culture - Add the active yogurt (or freeze dried active culture) to the milk and combine well with a whisk.
  Pro tip - I like to take half a cup of milk in a bowl and add the yogurt. Use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Then add this to the rest of the milk.
• Rest - Cover the milk jar with a clean kitchen cloth or paper hand towel and store in a warm place untouched for 4 to 6 hours.
  Pro tip - Do not put the lid on tightly. The yeast in the milk needs to breathe.
• Chill - After 4 to 6 hours, it should have been set. Place it in the fridge and let chill for a couple of hours.
  Pro tip - at this point the culture is set but leaving it in the fridge will help it mature better without becoming too sour.

How to make

• Low-fat yogurt is made exactly the same way as above using low-fat milk. (1% or 2%). Due to the lack of sufficient milk fat
  • It may take longer for the culter to develop so instead of 4 to 6 it may take up to 8 or more hours
  • The appearance of low-fat is that it can be thinner because it has more whey and less milk fat.
  • Commercial low-fat-yogurts are thickened. You can thicken the low fat milk using no-fat milk powder or with a tiny amount of unflavored gelatin. Add to the milk while still cold then continue with the recipe as below.
• Fruit yogurt - It is straightforward and easy to make fruit-yogurt at home. In fact, all you need is fruit puree or fresh finely chopped fruits.
  • Add 2 tablespoon fruit puree to 1 cup of homemade yogurt (or 1 cup puree to 4 cups yogurt)
  • And, depending on the fruit you use, you may or may not need a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for sweetness.
• Yogurt drink - The most delicious way to use yogurt is in smoothies and yogurt drinks. Blend the following in a blender until smooth.
  • 1 cup yogurt, (regular or Greek)
  • 1 cup ice
  • and 1 tablespoon honey, maple, or agave syrup.
  • Add 1 cup chopped fruits to make an amazing fruit yogurt drink.
    See all my milkshakes, smoothies and drinks

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Frequently asked questions

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Printable Recipe