Homemade Yogurt

Making your own homemade yogurt is incredibly satisfying, and you can achieve a wonderfully thick texture with this method. While it uses a warming drawer, you can adapt it for any oven that can maintain a low temperature around 42°C, or use a dedicated yogurt maker if you have one. I usually use my steam oven set at 42°C because I can set the timer for 8 hours whereas my warming drawer only runs for 6 hours and I don’t have such precise control over the temperature.

Ingredients

(makes approximately 1 litre)

  • 1 litre lite milk
  • 2/3 cup dry milk powder
  • Starter culture (such as Yogourmet starter with probiotics – from Amazon)

Method

  1. Preparation: This recipe is designed for setting in an oven’s warming drawer, but a steam oven capable of maintaining 42°C will also work. If using a yogurt maker, follow its specific instructions.
  2. Use a glass dish with an airtight lid that fits in your warming drawer. When culturing, let the lid sit on top without being sealed.
  3. Sterilise all containers in the dishwasher or an oven at 100°C with steam.
  4. Combine and Heat Milk: To 1 litre of milk, add 2/3 cup of whole milk powder. Whisk with a stick mixer until thoroughly combined.
  5. Pour the milk mixture into a saucepan and heat it to between 82°C and 86°C.
  6. Let the milk cool to below 42°C. Whisking occasionally will help speed up the cooling process. The ideal temperature range for culturing yogurt is between 36°C and 42°C but don’t worry if it goes below this, it will just need to heat up in the oven before it starts culturing.
  7. As the milk cools, a skin may form on the surface; simply whisk it back into the milk.
  8. Add Starter and Incubate: Once the milk has cooled to the correct temperature, add the starter culture and gently whisk it in.
  9. Pour the milk into the prepared dish and cover it with the lid (unsealed).
  10. Place the dish in the warming drawer or oven and set the temperature to a yogurt setting (if available) or approximately 38°C or 42°C if you have precise control. The longer it ferments, the tarter the yogurt will be, so the fermentation time is a matter of personal preference.
  11. Chill and Set: After fermentation, the yogurt will be warm and slightly runny, and a layer of cream may be on top.
  12. Carefully transfer the dish to the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to chill and set. Avoid stirring the warm yogurt.