How to Make Yogurt at Home for a Longer Life

Learn how to make yogurt at home with these easy step-by-step instructions. Making homemade yogurt is not only delicious but it's also healthy. We have some easy yogurt recipes for your yogurt making projects.

Making yogurt has been practiced down through the ages. It is interesting that regardless of where it is made throughout the world, the word "yoghourt" means the same thing. In Armenia they call it "matzoon". The Yogoslavs call it "kisselo mleko". The Russians love their yogurt with their black bread and call it "varenetz". The French eat quantities of yoghurt with "fraises de bois", and call it "yoghurt". In Sardinia, they call yogurt "gioddu", in India it's called "dadhi", in Egypt it's called "lebenbraib"; but it always means the same thing - long life.

Making good yogurt is much like making good coffee; some people can, and some people can't. And yet thousands of people around the world in third world countries manage to make delicious yoghurt without fuss and without thermometers. Here is a simple yoghurt recipe to make fortified yoghurt:

HOW TO MAKE YOGHURT: BASIC YOGURT

Add 1/2 cup powdered skim milk to 1 quart fresh whole milk, and beat with an electric mixer. Place in a saucepan, and heat until it is good and hot, but do not let the milk reach boiling point. You should be able to take the milk and drop some into the palm of your hand. It should feel hot, but shouldn't burn. Now add 3 tablespoons of ready made yogurt. Pour this mixture into a thermoflask and leave over night. In the morning you will have delicious homemade yoghurt.

If you don't have a thermoflask or vacuum flask, you can pour the milk mixture into a milk bottle, double pan, or any utensil, and place it in warm water near a radiator or somewhere warm. Cover with a blanket, much the same way as you would for making bread dough rise. Your yogurt should be made within 5 - 6 hours. Do not move it, or disturb it during the incubation period as it will not set properly.

HOW TO MAKE YOGURT: FAT-FREE YOGURT RECIPE

Follow the above recipe for making yogurt, but instead of using whole milk in your recipe, substitute it with skim milk. By doing this you have reduced your calorie intake.

HOW TO MAKE YOGURT: GREEK YOGHURT RECIPE (One portion)

Follow the above recipe for making basic yoghurt. Once the yogurt has set, line a kitchen sieve with some cheesecloth, or a clean tea-towel or even 4 pieces of kitchen paper. Pour a cup of the made yogurt into the line sieve. Suspend the sieve over a bowl where it can catch the whey that will drip from the yogurt. Refrigerate overnight if you want really thick yoghurt, or let the whey separate over 4 - 6 hours at room temperature. Add 1 teaspoon of honey for taste. You can use the whey in baking bread as a substitute for some of the water you would normally use, or you can use it to make ricotta cheese.

HOW TO MAKE YOGURT: RASPBERRY YOGHURT RECIPE

Mix 1 cup thick yoghurt, 1/2 cup fresh, canned or frozen berries. Place in dessert glasses and refrigerate until you need them. Serve with a drizzle of honey on the top.

Here is a video showing you how to make Greek yogurt