Dollar A Day Meals

                                                            MISCELLANEOUS RECIPE

Making Yogurt Using Powdered Milk

dollaradaymeals.com

2 c. very warm water

3/4 c. non-instant dry milk powder

2 T. plain yogurt with active cultures

Put warm water in blender.  Add dry milk  2 to 3 T. at a time, blend until smooth after each addition of dry milk. Then add plain yogurt, again blend smooth. Put mixture into clean, dry glass quart jar with wide mouth  (it will be more than half full).  Use chosen method for yogurt making.  Will have 4 to 5 servings. 

Save out 2 Tablespoons of plain yogurt to use in making next batch, as recipe above  directs.  After making several  batches  using own  yogurt for starter,  purchase  plain  yogurt  with  cultures again, to refresh.

Whatever method works for your individual situation, the goal is to give yogurt  a steady  warm  atmosphere  of around  110º, enabling cultures to develop and yogurt to thicken undisturbed.

OK......here is where  I am having  problems  helping  others  with a method, because we use the following way, and not everyone can do this. We set a plastic lid on the jars very loosely,  NOT  tightened  at all.  Then put it into  an Excalibur dehydrator  (we bought it over 20 years ago)  that has the shelves removed (except for the very bottom  shelf  so jars  aren't sitting  right on the  bottom metal).  Our  shelf, though a bit flexible, holds up to two quart-sized jars.  We then turn dehydrator  on  110º  for about  4 hours.  Remove  jars of thickened  yogurt,  allow to cool a few  minutes, then refrigerate with lid  tilted  just  enough  to allow warmth to  slowly  escape  while  yogurt  cools  (though this yogurt is fairly thick it will thicken more as it cools). Lid can then be secured/tightened. Use within one week. We like to add some sugar and vanilla. 

I have searched other methods in order to make suggestions; since a dehydrator may not  be available.   Some use a yogurt maker;  others use an oven method, or a crock pot method.  Or a heating pad turned on medium heat, place folded  towel on top of that/place jar on towel  /cover all with another thick towel/do not disturb until done.  Others wrap heated mixture in towel, put  into an insulated cooler.  Most of these methods take up to 8 hours for the yogurt to set. 

                                                ©Janet Marie Huff/dollaradaymeals.com