# How I Make Yogurt

Oops, i have half a gallon of milk that is past the expiration date.
It doesn't smell bad yet, but there is no way i will finish it in
time. Or is there? I chose to make yogurt out of it. Here is how i
do it.

First, i gather my equipment:
* big measuring cup
* candy/deep fry thermometer
* rice cooker (a crock pot would also work)
* thick-bottomed sauce pan
* (3)glass pint canning jars and lids
* 3/4 cup yogurt to serve as the culture/starter
* 5 cups milk (whole milk works best)
* wooden spoon

I fill the rice cooker a little under half full with water. I turn
it on "cook" to heat up the water. While it is heating up, i go to
the stove.

I measure 5 cups of milk into the sauce pan. I set the burner on
high heat and bring the milk to a boil, stirring constantly. The
milk will start steaming. When i see a small amount of foam, i know
to watch it carefully, because when it starts to boil the foam can
rise up very quickly and overflow the pot. When it does boil, i
remove it immediately from the heat.

Now comes the most difficult part of the process, because it requires
patience. I attach the thermometer to the saucepan with the bulb
under the surface of the hot milk. I stir the milk continually. If
i forget to stir, a skin will form on top. I can either scrape the
skin off, or stir it back into the milk. I continue stirring until
the temperature lowers to 115° F. This takes a while and that is why
it requires patience. Whew! The hard part is over.

Once the milk temperature lowers to 115° F, I scoop in 3/4 cup
yogurt. (Roughly 1/4 cup yogurt per 1 pint milk.) I stir it into
the milk until it is evenly mixed.

Now i turn off the rice cooker. I measure the water temperature in
the rice cooker. It is probably too hot by now. I add cold water
until it lowers to 115 to 120° F. If necessary, i remove water to
reduce the level to just under half full.

I pour the cultured milk into the canning jars. I set lids on top,
but i don't screw on the metal canning rings. I set the jars into
the rice cooker, partially submerging them in the warm water. I put
the lid on top of the rice cooker. I am basically using the rice
cooker as an incubator for the yogurt culture. Then i let the jars
sit all day.

The yogurt will set and be thick in 6 to 8 hours, but the result is
too mild-flavored for me. I let it sit a total of 12 to 16 hours in
order to achieve the desired tangy flavor. When it is done, i put
the canning jars in the refrigerator. Then i clean up the kitchen.

I read that yogurt makers in India use the leftover whey from the
previous batch of yogurt as the culture/starter for the next batch.
I have not tried this yet.
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