The secret of making yogurt like a stone is hidden in this spoon!

The secret of making yogurt like a stone is hidden in this spoon!

The secret of making yogurt like a stone is hidden in this spoon! Nobody knows this secret.

Creating yogurt at home is a beloved tradition across many cultures, valued for its simplicity and the nutritious, delicious end product. However, achieving that exceptionally thick, stone-like consistency can sometimes be elusive. That’s where a little culinary secret comes into play. Here’s a straightforward recipe to help you make yogurt with an impressively dense texture at home.

Ingredients Needed:

⭐2 liters of high-quality, farm-fresh milk

⭐2 tablespoons of cornstarch

⭐2 tablespoons of yogurt (used as a starter)

Steps to Create Thick Yogurt

Heat the Milk: Pour the milk into a large pot. The richness of the milk is crucial, so the creamier, the better. Heat it gently until it’s close to boiling, then let it simmer.

Add the Thickening Agent: While the milk simmers, mix cornstarch with a bit of milk in a separate bowl to create a smooth paste. This cornstarch mixture is the secret to achieving that desired thick consistency. Gently stir this mixture back into the simmering milk.

Incorporate the Starter: Let the milk cool until lukewarm. Add the 2 tablespoons of yogurt as your starter, ensuring it’s evenly distributed. This step introduces the necessary bacteria to convert the milk into yogurt.

The Culturing Process: Pour the milk and starter mix into a container or jars. Cover them and place in a warm, undisturbed location. This could be in an oven with just the light on or wrapped in towels. This environment is essential for the yogurt to set properly.

Reveal the Magic: After 8-12 hours, check your yogurt. You should find thick, creamy, and dense yogurt akin to the stone-thick consistency you desired.

The true essence of this recipe lies not just in the ingredients, but also in the patience and care with which it’s prepared. Enjoy this homemade yogurt with honey, fruits, nuts, or any of your favorite toppings. Revel in the traditional taste and the rewarding experience of crafting yogurt that’s as thick as stone!

Homemade Plain Greek Yogurt Recipe:

Learning how to make Greek yogurt at home is simple with this easy recipe. Start by making homemade yogurt: heating milk, combining it with a little bit of already-cultured yogurt and letting it sit in a warm spot until the milk turns into yogurt. Making protein-rich Greek yogurt takes one step more than making regular yogurt: straining the yogurt to thicken it. You can add the leftover liquid—also known as whey—to smoothies, or you can use it in place of buttermilk in baking.

What You’ll Need to Make Greek Yogurt

Making your own yogurt is easier than you might expect. For this recipe, you’ll need 4 cups of low-fat or nonfat milk and 1/4 cup of low-fat or nonfat yogurt. Your homemade yogurt will take on the flavor of the plain yogurt you use in the recipe, so make sure it’s one you like! You will also need a 5- to 8-cup container with a lid, a thermometer, a large fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth.

How to Keep Your Yogurt Warm for Fermenting

In order for the live active cultures (bacteria) to multiply and transform the milk into yogurt, you will need to keep the mixture in a warm environment (about 110°F) for 8-12 hours before it hits the fridge. There are a few ways to do this:

Oven Method

Turn your oven on to 200°F for about 5 minutes, then turn it off. Add the towel-wrapped container of yogurt and if you have an oven light, turn it on for added warmth.

Cooler Method

Place a hot water bottle (or other small container) filled with very hot water alongside the towel-wrapped container in a small cooler.

Heating Pad Method

Wrap a heating pad set to High around the towel-wrapped container.

How to Thicken Yogurt

Greek-style yogurt is typically thicker than regular yogurt. To get that texture, liquid (the whey) is removed by straining it out using a fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth. The less liquid there is, the thicker the yogurt becomes. It will take a minimum of 8 hours to strain enough whey out of the yogurt to get a thicker texture, but you can strain it for up to 24 hours if you like your yogurt very thick.

Active Time: 40 mins

Additional Time: 17 hrs 20 mins

Total Time: 18 hrs

Servings: 2

Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS:

⭐4 cups nonfat or low-fat milk

⭐¼ cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS:

⭐Heat milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it is steaming, barely bubbling and registers 180°F on an instant-read or candy thermometer. (Do not leave it unattended—it can boil over very quickly.)

⭐Carefully pour the milk into a clean, heat-safe 5- to 8-cup container. Let stand, stirring frequently, until cooled to 110°F. Combine yogurt with 1/2 cup of the 110°F milk in a small bowl, then stir the mixture back into the warm milk.

⭐Cover the container and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel to help keep it warm. Place in a very warm place and let stand, undisturbed, until thickened and tangy, at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. The yogurt will thicken a bit more in the refrigerator.

⭐Line a large fine-mesh sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Spoon the cooled yogurt into the cheesecloth, then cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours, depending on how thick you want it.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:

Serving Size 1 cup Calories 184 total fat 0g saturated fat 0g cholesterol 10mg sodium 229mg total carbohydrate 27g total sugars 27g protein 18g vitamin c 0mg calcium 659mg iron 0mg potassium 843mg