My kids and I eat a lot of yogurt.  We love it as is or mix it into smoothies.  The problem with eating so much store bought yogurt is that we have hundreds of plastic containers.  I started to make my own yogurt to combat all of the plastics we were using and discovered that homemade yogurt is pretty easy and tastes so fresh and incredible.

There are many recipe versions of homemade yogurt online.  You can make it in your oven, in a crock pot, using a yogurt maker, etc.  Since I already own a Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer box I thought I may as well use it for yogurt too.  This is not an advertisement for Brod & Taylor and I am not getting paid for this post.  I will say though if you make a lot of bread at home this is a great investment.  The proofer regulates temperature and humidity.  Since I have a drafty, cool kitchen this has been a lifesaver for my bread and I can make delicious yogurt too.  I bought mine at Williams Sonoma for about $150 and it has been worth the investment.

A few things about homemade yogurt.  First, I use whole milk and whole milk yogurt in this recipe.  You can use 2% milk, but I would avoid fat-free milk and fat-free yogurt because in my testing it didn’t set up as well.  Second, homemade yogurt is not as thick as store bought yogurt.  Know that homemade will be a little different in texture, but it’s so good.  Finally, this is a recipe for plain yogurt.  But after making it, feel free to add maple syrup, honey, strawberry puree, etc.  Have fun with it!  Customization is the best part of making it at home.

Homemade Yogurt Using a Bread Proofer Box

Makes about one quart

4 cups whole or 2% milk (do not use ultra pasteurized UHT milk as it won’t set up as well)

1/4 cup plain whole or 2% yogurt (not fat-free as it won’t set up as well)*

Set Brod & Taylor proofing box to 110 degrees.  Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl set in an ice bath.  Heat milk in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and do not stir while heating.  Heat until milk registers 185 degrees with a digital thermometer.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to 160 degrees, about 8 minutes.  Strain milk through prepared strainer and let cool in ice bath until milk registers 110 degrees, stirring occassionally.

In small bowl, stir about a cup of milk with 1/4 cup plain yogurt.  Stir this back into the main milk mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes on top.  Place in bread proofing box and allow to sit undisturbed for about 7 hours.  It’s very important to not stir or bump the yogurt during this time.  I have in the past and the yogurt never set.  After yogurt is set refrigerate for four hours or until chilled.  I store my yogurt in glass Mason jars, but any container will work.  Mix in optional sweeteners or fruit.

Yogurt can be refrigerated for up to one week.

*Buy a small container of yogurt for this recipe.  You will have extra.  I free the remaining yogurt and use it for the next batch I make later.