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Good heavens, let's keep simple things simple!
We use non-homogenized whole milk only.....no, the fat/cholesterol does not kill you if you use it correctly. Bring the whole milk to a boil and let it cool down completely and then repeat the cycle one more time. This separates the fat from the milk and whole milk that is pretty much low/no fat but without the loss of richness and taste.
Now to making the yogurt. No tools required other than a container to hold the milk. And a tiny amount of yogurt with active cultures. Heat the twice boiled milk to slightly warm....how warm - just enough that if you dip your pinky, it does not sting. Take a pinch of the yogurt and drop it into the milk container. Now cover the milk container and put it in dark cool (not cold) place. Do this before you go to bed and you will wake up to the milk fully converted into yogurt. That's it!
A few tips:
Yogurt made today serves as the starter for tomorrow's batch
If milk is too warm when you add the pinch of yogurt, you will have sour yogurt in the morning
If milk is not warm enough, it will take more time to convert into yogurt or not at all
Single boil of milk will leave more fat in the milk and the yogurt will be more richer and thicker.
If your pinch of yogurt is too much, you will have sour yogurt. Just use a little less and all is good.
If your pinch of yogurt is too little, it will take more time to convert into yogurt or not at all.
Leave the cream that floated to the top of the milk when making the yogurt. After converting to yogurt, this cream can be churned to make fresh butter.
My grandma, aunt, mother, wife, sisters, daughters all make yogurt this way. It works and it is that simple.
I know it's that easy, I used to make it myself decades ago with this very same recipe.
But I wish you had explained more about this two ingredients, because now, for some reasons, I can't get yogurt with this same recipe. Please explain what especifically should we consider when choosing these two ingredients at the grocery store.