2quarts(1892 g)skim or low-fat milk - or whatever milk you prefer
1-2tablespoons(15g)unflavored commercial yogurt - (Once you make your own yogurt, you can use it as a starter.)
Instructions
Fill a Pyrex batter bowl (my preference) or 2-quart microwave-safe glass container with 2 quarts skim or low-fat milk.
Heat on HIGH in a microwave until bubbles begin to appear around the edge. The temperature should reach 175-180˚F (79-82˚C)( after you stir it. (In my microwave, it takes 16 minutes on HIGH, but yours may take a minute or two more or less). You can also heat milk on the stove if you prefer. It will take a lot longer; be careful not to scorch it.
Allow the milk to cool until the temperature drops to between 100 and 110˚F (38-43˚C) This is the step (more than any other) where more people ruin their yogurt. At the beginning of your yogurt adventures, get yourself a thermometer and check!! Too hot, and the little yogurt bodies will be murdered!
If a skin forms, remove it.
Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons unflavored commercial yogurt as a starter or use yogurt from a previous batch of your own homemade yogurt. No need to heat or warm it ahead of time.
Cover milk and place in a warm environment where the temperature stays around 100-110˚F(38-43˚C)
Allow the milk to incubate for 5-12 hours. The longer you incubate, the more tart your yogurt will be.
Let yogurt sit in the strainer till the yogurt is reduced down to a quarter of the original volume. Time to strain may be as long as 8-10 hours, but this can vary according to the milk you used, the starter, and the temperature of the incubation. Tip the strainer or stir very gently if the whey has pooled on top while straining.
Empty whey from the batter bowl and pour the yogurt out of the strainer back into the original bowl. Use a good whisk or portable mixer to beat until smooth, or leave it as is. Chill.
I'm told it will stay fresh for 3 weeks. We eat it too fast to know.
Notes
The Nutrition Facts will vary according to how much you strain the yogurt and what kind of milk you use.