Homemade Yogurt - It is so EASY!!!!

Homemade yogurt is so delicious!  I am tired right now but I am making another batch because I do not want to not have any for breakfast tomorrow morning!  (Double negative correction - I want to have some for breakfast tomorrow morning).  This particular recipe is adapted from this amazing book called "The Homemade Pantry" by Alana Chernila, which is my new favourite book.  However, all of the homemade yogurt recipes I have seen look pretty much the same.  You don't need a yogurt maker, but I bought one from Amazon because I did not trust leaving yogurt out all night in just a cooler bag to keep it warm.  I also really liked the little glass jars the yogurt maker came with.

4.5 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup plain unsweetened full-fat yogurt

Put a bit of water into the bottom of the pan so that the pot does not scorch.  Add milk and cook on medium heat until milk reaches 180 degrees F.  Remove pot from heat and let milk cool to 110 degrees F.  Place yogurt into a large measuring cup and add 1 cup of the warm milk from the pot.  Whisk until smooth.  Add yogurt mixture into pot and whisk until a bit foamy.  Transfer mixture into yogurt containers and then follow instructions on your yogurt maker.  Mine says to put the yogurt jars uncovered into the yogurt maker for 8 hours, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before eating. 

Note:  If you do not have a yogurt maker, you can fill a large and small jar with the mixture and cover with lids.  Wrap jars in a towel to keep warm and place in an insulated cooler.

My favourite topping so far is maple syrup!  I have also tried strawberry jam and a homemade strawberry sauce (that was made for buttermilk pancakes).  Those were pretty good as well, but not as good as the maple syrup!  Be sure to keep one jar of yogurt (1/2 cup) plain for your next batch of yogurt.  You can only use your homemade yogurt as a yogurt starter a few times before you will have to buy store bought yogurt again.