Thick and Creamy Yogurt

I can't remember exactly when I first started making yogurt. I remember getting tired of paying more than $2 for a quart of yogurt that lasted us less than a week. I looked into yogurt makers, but really didn't want yet another kitchen appliance taking up space in my already full cabinets. So, I did a little research and discovered that yogurt making is ridiculously easy. I confess that since our move, I had not gotten back into making it, but last week, I finally got sick of paying so much and made my own. This time I decided to try straining it though, to make it a bit more like that yummy creamy Greek yogurt that my frugal self will not even consider buying. Since I've only sampled Greek yogurt at the store and can't bring myself to buy it, I don't have anything to compare this to, but we really like it. Especially with a swirl of vanilla extract and a sprinkling of a new nutty granola I've been making.

Thick and Creamy Yogurt

1 - 2 quarts milk
2 T plain yogurt with no added fruit or sweeteners
a large double boiler, or two pans that will give you the same effect
a digital read food thermometer
a cooler large enough to hold 1-2 quarts of yogurt surrounded by water
a sink full of ice water
wide mouth canning jars
cheesecloth or other similar material (I use an old super thin pillow case that I cut in half and it works great)
strainer

Begin by placing your milk in a double boiler and bringing the temperature to 180 degrees. Remove the pan that's holding your milk and place it in the sink full of ice water until the temperature falls to 115 degrees. Remove from the ice water and whisk in 2 T yogurt until thoroughly mixed in. Pour into wide mouth canning jars and place the lids on. Fill your cooler with enough hot water to come up to the edge of the glass part of your jar. Water temperature should start off around 118-120 degrees, but absolutely no hotter or it will kill your yogurt culture. Place your jars into the water and put the lid on the cooler. Set your timer for 5-6 hours depending on how sour you want your yogurt. After 5-6 hours, you can remove your jars and refrigerate. That's it! SO easy.

But, if you want your yogurt to be thick and creamy, after it has been allowed to culture for 5-6 hours, pour it into a cheesecloth lined strainer. Make sure you keep the strainer over a bowl because what's straining out is the whey and it can be used to make some super yummy biscuits. (recipe to come) Allow the yogurt to strain about 45 minutes, stirring once to allow the whey to strain well. Scrape the yogurt out of the cheesecloth and back into your jar, stir it up, and refrigerate. Enjoy with your favorite toppings!