Equipment
Ingredients
Dairy Base
- 1000 ml whole milk
- 120 ml heavy cream
Culture Starter
- 60 g plain whole milk yogurt, room temperature
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Pour the whole milk and heavy cream into a heavy-bottomed pot. Heat gently over medium heat until the mixture reaches 82 degrees Celsius or 180 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching the bottom. This process denatures the whey proteins, allowing them to form a thicker matrix later.
Remove the pot from the heat and allow the milk to cool until it reaches exactly 43 degrees Celsius or 110 degrees Fahrenheit. You can speed up this process by carefully placing the pot in an ice water bath, checking the temperature frequently.
Place the room temperature yogurt starter in a small mixing bowl. Ladle about 120 milliliters of the cooled 43 degree Celsius milk into the bowl and whisk vigorously until entirely smooth. Pour this tempered mixture back into the main pot of milk and whisk gently but thoroughly to distribute the active cultures.
Transfer the inoculated milk into clean glass jars. Cover loosely and place into your chosen incubation vessel. Maintain a consistent temperature of 43 degrees Celsius or 110 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 hours. Do not disturb or jostle the jars during this period. The longer you let it ferment, the tangier the resulting flavor will be.
Secure the lids tightly on the jars and carefully transfer them to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 4 hours to halt the fermentation process. This chilling step allows the protein structure to fully set and thicken before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Heating the milk to 82 degrees Celsius is crucial because it denatures lactoglobulin proteins, which prevents them from forming a loose gel and ensures a much thicker final consistency.
- Do not disturb the jars during the 10 to 12 hour incubation period. Physical movement can break the delicate protein matrix forming the curd, leading to a weaker set and whey separation.
- For a consistently tangy flavor, incubate closer to the 12-hour mark. If you prefer a milder taste in the future, stop the fermentation around 8 hours.
- Always save 60 grams of this batch to use as the starter culture for your next batch of homemade yogurt.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in clean, airtight glass jars to prevent picking up fridge odors.
