Yogurt In The Crock Pot

I've had a couple of requests for the yogurt recipe.  It is pretty much amazing and isn't hard to make, it just takes some planning and you have to be around to keep an eye on it.  I like to start it at about six in the evening because it takes about three hours to heat up and then has to sit for eight so I like to time it so it sits overnight.

All the hard equipment you need it a crock pot and a thermometer.  I personally enjoy my digital one because I'm lazy, but whatever floats your boat. 

Plug in your crock pot and put eight cups of whole milk into it.  Laura says she has some friends who have used 2% but it is runnier and tastes thinner.  I suggest starting with whole and back tracking to see what works for you.  Put the lid on and turn the crock pot to high.  You can do it on low it just takes a lot longer.  You have to heat the milk to 180 degrees, this is going to take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  I like to set the timer so I don't get off on some other tangent and forget about it. 

Once the milk hits the right temperature, turn the crock pot off, take off the lid and let the milk cool until it is between 115 and 118 degrees.  This step usually takes around an hour.  When it's cool, put two cups of the milk into a separate bowl. There will be a thin skin on the top of the milk, just skim it off and throw it away.  Stir in a half cup of yogurt with live cultures.  You have to use store bought the first time because you need the cultures for a start.  After you've made your own you can use your yogurt, but with each batch they get a little weaker.  Laura has made batches specifically for starts and she froze them.  I bought a container of the cheapest yogurt I could find for two dollars and it actually lasted for six to seven batches.

At this point you can add sugar and flavoring to the bowl with the yogurt start and milk. Laura uses a cup of sugar in hers.  I started with that but thought it was too sweet, so each batch I made I backed it off a little.  I like using 1/2 cup but that is totally personal preference.  I add 1 teaspoon of vanilla for flavoring, I haven't tried anything else because I really like the vanilla.   I've heard of people trying to add fresh fruit at this stage.  The yogurt won't set up but it is good for smoothies if you decide to go that way.

Once you've added what you want stir it really well and then add it back to the milk in the crock pot.  Put the lid back on and wrap a towel around it.  In eight hours it should be set up.  Once the yogurt is set don't stir it, that will cause it to go runny.  I just scoop it out with a ladle into little rubber maid cups.  Then sit back, enjoy and maybe later roll around naked in the giant pile of money you are saving!