Ingredient:
1 liter whole milk, or nonfat milk
30ml plain yogurt with live bacteria
Large pot
Thermometer
Egg beater or whisk
Clean jar or container with lid
Cheesecloth or thin, clean kitchen towel
Colander
Step 1: First, pour the milk into a large saucepan. Heat the milk over medium heat, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Heat the milk to 82°C (180°F). This process, called pasteurization, kills harmful bacteria. If you are using ultra-pasteurized milk, you can skip this step because the milk has already been heated to a high temperature.
Step 2: Remove the pot from the heat and let the milk cool to 43-46°C (110-115°F). This is the optimal temperature for yogurt bacteria to grow. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the pot in a cold water bath.
Step 3: Once the milk has cooled to the right temperature, add 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt containing live bacteria, stirring until completely dissolved. This process will help ferment the milk into yogurt.
Step 4: Pour the milk mixture into a clean jar or container with a lid. It is important now to keep the yogurt warm and at a stable temperature (around 38-43°C or 100-110°F) for a few hours while it incubates.
Step 5: Incubate the yogurt for 6 - 8 hours, or longer if you want it to be more sour. Check the yogurt after 6 hours. If the yogurt thickens and smells slightly sour, it is ready. If the yogurt is still too thin, incubate it for a few more hours.
Step 6: Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a clean, thin kitchen towel. Place the strainer over a bowl to catch the cream, then pour the yogurt into the lined strainer.
Step 7: Let the yogurt strain for 2-4 hours, or even longer to reach the desired consistency. The longer you strain, the thicker the Greek yogurt will be. The resulting whey is very nutritious and can be used in baking or smoothies.
Step 8: Once the yogurt reaches the desired consistency, transfer to a clean container and refrigerate and enjoy.
