Yogurt: Four Quarts

The following recipe makes four quarts of yogurt and originally appeared on Yogurt Making, Illustrated by David Fankhauser. The two quart version of the recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon fresh milk
• 1 cup plain yogurt (for starter)

Equipment

• Double boiler or heavy pot with lid, 8 quart capacity
• Four quart jars with lids, sterilized
• One half pint jar with lid, sterilized
• Candy thermometer, reading range 0 to 225 °F
• Medium sized cooler

Directions

• Heat milk slowly over a medium flame to 170-180 °F in double boiler or heavy pot. If using a heavy pot, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
• If you are not using a yogurt maker, heat water in a separate pot to 120-130 °F.

• Remove from fire, place covered pot in pan of clean cool water until milk is 120-130 °F.
• Stir up yogurt starter with a clean fork, add to the warm milk, stir thoroughly.

• Pour still warm mixture into the jars and cover immediately with the sterile lids.
• Place filled bottles in cooler.

• Add enough 120-130 °F water so that bottles are surrounded, but the water is below the lid rims. NOTE: The starter jar may need to be placed on a support to keep its lid above the water.
• Close the cooler and set in warm place and let sit undisturbed for 4-10 hours.  If the starter was active and the temperature does not drop below 104 °F, the yogurt will have gelled.

• Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

• Save the half pint jar for use as a starter for your next batch.
• For a more firm yogurt, add 2 tablespoons powdered milk to the 1/2 gallon of milk prior to heating.
• A yogurt maker can be use that rather than the 120-130 °F water in a cooler.