Yogurt (French Style)

INGREDIENTS

8 Cups 2% Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar
3 Teaspoons Plain or Vanilla Yogurt (Siggies) room temp

EQUIPMENT

I have the Gourmia Yogurt Maker. It makes 12 individual, 6 oz. portions. I can use 2 pyrex bowls (vanilla and no flavor) or 12 jars, or 6 jars and 1 pyrex bowl. In the 1980’s, I used to make yogurt overnight in a mayo jar with a heating pad.
Pyrex measuring cup (so that I can sterilize between making batches).
I use a Weber thermometer.
Metal funnel.
Soup ladle.

DIRECTIONS

I heat Kirkland 2% organic milk to 180 degrees F in the microwave, checking the temperature frequently. I have read that you can add the sugar while heating. I do not, but it should not create a problem.
Cool to 110 to 115 F. As it cools, you need to skim the milk solids that form (scum) off the top. I tend to wait until 115 or under.
Gently whisk in the vanilla and sugar if using.
Gently add the yogurt starter.
Turn on the yogurt maker.
I pour the milk into jars using a ladle and funnel.
I cover the maker with a tea towel (not necessary – I just do)
Yogurt is ready in about 4-hours. I place in the fridge and loosely top with the caps.

NOTES

Thicker yogurt uses less starter. I replace the starter every few batches. My 1^st Gourmia broke very quickly. The heating element died. Amazon replaced it at no charge. I use Siggi’s Icelandic Style Strained Yogurt Plain 0% Milkfat 5.3 oz cup because it has 4 live cultures: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. It contains only pasturized skim milk and live cultures.

You can reduce the sugar and eliminate the vanilla. However, this recipe is 104 calories per container. Reducing the sugar from 1/3 cup to 1/4 cup, drops the carbs to 4%, sugars from 13 grams to 11.6, and the calories to 99. No sugar reduces the calories from 104 to 83 and carbs from 5% to 3%. Additionally, no vanilla reduces the calories by 1.