Having been making yoghurt lately

Maybe you've thought of making your own yoghurt too. On one of our food trips fresh yoghurt was served every day. Since coming home I've made it 3 times and the result is amazing. It is just like doing your own science fermentation experiment but the taste is delicious. I love that I can make a pure product, free from additives and an overload of sugar and/or sweeteners. Please forgive this post with no photos. I have some and will dig them out later but here is the simple recipe that uses no fancy equipment (except maybe a thermometer if you have one, but no dramas if you don't).

Place one litre milk in a large pot. Use full fat milk or light (2%fat), whisk in 50g milk powder to avoid lumps. Heat on the stove, stirring sometimes until a gentle simmer is reached (this will be about 80ish degrees Celsius ), hold this temp for 3-5 minutes. Because it is good to make things in a hurry, cool it quickly by upending 2 ice cube trays into a sink, add some cold water and sit your pot in this. In 5 minutes your milk will be at about 40ish degrees Celsius. Take pot from cold water to stop it cooling further. It should feel like blood temperature. Using your whisk again, stir through 3 tablespoons of fresh pre-made  yoghurt. Tip the contents into a glass bowl. 

Now the trick is to keep your yoghurt at this temperature for 5-8hours until it is set. I usually sit it in a sink of warm water that I change frequently. I cover the sink with a large t-towel to trap in some warmth. You can be creative and use a insulated bag if you want or a slightly warm oven. Do not stir during the setting process. When your yoghurt is set, refrigerate 2-3 hours before eating. You will love it. The lower the fat you use, the longer it takes to set. enjoy!

NB. when adding 3 tablespoons of fresh pre-made yoghurt, make sure you use a very fresh yoghurt with a long use by date, and containing live cultures or reserve 3 tablespoons of a previous batch.