There are so many yogurts in the dairy aisle with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, sugars, and stabilisers - all of which are simply not needed in our diet - nor are they needed in any of our yogurts. When you make your own yogurt at home, you have full knowledge and control over the ingredients every step of the way.
Homemade yogurt is ideal as a breakfast treat with some granola, some fruit compote or as a healthy snack with honey, pomegranate and toasted ground hazelnuts. The following recipe is one which I use but really, every recipe follows more or less the same principles. Before too long you may come up with your own methods or additions.
Before beginning, ensure all of your equipment is spotlessly clean and remember the better your ingredients, the better the yogurt. Enjoy, it's great fun!
Homemade yogurt is ideal as a breakfast treat with some granola, some fruit compote or as a healthy snack with honey, pomegranate and toasted ground hazelnuts. The following recipe is one which I use but really, every recipe follows more or less the same principles. Before too long you may come up with your own methods or additions.
Before beginning, ensure all of your equipment is spotlessly clean and remember the better your ingredients, the better the yogurt. Enjoy, it's great fun!
Shopping List
- 2 Tbsp Live Culture (or Live Yogurt at room temperature)
- 500ML Full Fat Organic Milk
- 4 Tbsp Milk Powder (used to thicken the yogurt)
Method
1. Warm the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan until the milk reaches around 85°C-90°C then whisk in then milk powder.
2. Place the milk off the heat and allow to return to the optimum level of 40°C-42°C on your yogurt thermometer. (If you do not have a thermometer, place your spotlessly clean index finger into the milk mixture and if it can rest there comfortably for ten seconds - then it is at optimum level but this is an inaccurate method of making yogurt).
3. Once at the optimum level of 40°C - 42°C, stir in the live culture / yogurt into the mixture and pour into a pottery bowl covering tightly with cling film. Place the pottery bowl in a warm place, for example I leave it sitting alongside the stove at home or in the hot press. Nigel Slater's tip of placing a hot water bottle alongside the pottery bowl works very well too.
4. The following morning, stir your yogurt mixture and cool in a fridge. If you are pouring the yogurt into small glass jars, ensure you steralise the jars first.
Homemade yogurt keeps well for up to two weeks, but it is so delicious and fun to make that you will use it up in no time at all. Depending on the season, try some rhubarb, strawberry, elderflower, or even gooseberry compote for an extra delicious treat.
Please contact me here if you wish to chat about this recipe.
Photography: Jakub Walutek Photography
- 500ML Full Fat Organic Milk
- 4 Tbsp Milk Powder (used to thicken the yogurt)
Method
1. Warm the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan until the milk reaches around 85°C-90°C then whisk in then milk powder.
2. Place the milk off the heat and allow to return to the optimum level of 40°C-42°C on your yogurt thermometer. (If you do not have a thermometer, place your spotlessly clean index finger into the milk mixture and if it can rest there comfortably for ten seconds - then it is at optimum level but this is an inaccurate method of making yogurt).
3. Once at the optimum level of 40°C - 42°C, stir in the live culture / yogurt into the mixture and pour into a pottery bowl covering tightly with cling film. Place the pottery bowl in a warm place, for example I leave it sitting alongside the stove at home or in the hot press. Nigel Slater's tip of placing a hot water bottle alongside the pottery bowl works very well too.
4. The following morning, stir your yogurt mixture and cool in a fridge. If you are pouring the yogurt into small glass jars, ensure you steralise the jars first.
Homemade yogurt keeps well for up to two weeks, but it is so delicious and fun to make that you will use it up in no time at all. Depending on the season, try some rhubarb, strawberry, elderflower, or even gooseberry compote for an extra delicious treat.
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Please contact me here if you wish to chat about this recipe.
Photography: Jakub Walutek Photography
