Greek Style Yogurt

Makes 2 cups

Use the best-quality dairy you can find for this recipe, and be sure that the “starter” yogurt you choose contains live active cultures (the container should specify which ones are present in that particular brand of yogurt). This recipe also works with whole-milk yogurt.

4 cups 2 percent low-fat milk
¼ cup (1 ounce) dry milk powder
½ cup plain 0 percent Greek yogurt

1. Heat milk in large saucepan over medium heat until hot and steaming but not simmering, 170 to 180 degrees. Stir in milk powder, transfer milk mixture to large bowl set over ice bath, and stir milk occasionally until it cools to 110 degrees.  I use the microwave (described by Cedric the Entertainer's character, Chef Reverend, as "the devil's box!  ) to heat the milk.  Then I don't have to transfer it into another bowl. It takes about 15 minutes on high to get to 180°.

2. In small bowl, whisk yogurt and ladleful of cooled milk together until smooth. Add yogurt mixture to remaining cooled milk, and whisk to combine.

3. Cover large bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and poke several holes in plastic. Place bowl in warm environment, between 90 and 100 degrees, and ferment until yogurt has thickened and set, about 7 hours.  I use an 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup with a lid, and nestle it into another bowl lined with a heating pad on medium.

4. Set mesh strainer over large measuring cup and line strainer with 2 coffee filters or double layer of cheesecloth. Add yogurt, cover strainer with plastic, and refrigerate yogurt until about 2 cups of liquid have drained into measuring cup, at least 8 hours. I don't leave it that long - just a couple of hours maybe.Transfer yogurt from strainer into clean, airtight container, discarding drained liquid. Yogurt can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

NOTE - Remember to reserve 1/2 cup of yogurt for the next batch!

Ohhhhh, so this is kinda like Friendship Yogurt! You use the original 1/2 cup as starter......

It's considerably cheaper than buying all those little cups of yogurt, even if you do use the "too expensive" lemon curd! This morning I put in a tiny splash of vanilla and a little honey. Yummy!