How to Make Yogurt in the Microwave

This summer, prices for a gallon of milk has gone down tremendously - only $1.49 for a gallon.  Thus making homemade yogurt less expensive.although it is already so much less than the store-bought ones.  Making your own  helps you control the amount of fat you consume but i find that whole milk yogurt is richer and tastes the best. Fruits and berries are of abundance and cheap too,  so do add as much or varieties into your yogurt, it is a real treat. Yogurt-making in any other way is a lengthy project, but using the microwave to make yogurt can save you some time in the process

 Ingredients:

Glass bowl

4 cups fresh milk
1/4 cup powdered milk (adding this gives a better texture)
2 tbsp. plain yogurt with active cultures  - from the supermaket is fine or leftover from a previous homemade batch

Food thermometer

Microwave

Plastic wrap

Dish towel



Method:
Take the plain yogurt out of the fridge and leave it out on the counter  - it has to be at room temp. (Yogurt will take a longer time to set if cold yogurt is used)

Pour 4 cups of fresh milk into a glass bowl that is safe to use in a microwave. Choose skim milk for a nonfat yogurt or whole milk for a richer yogurt. (i put  the milk in the container that the completed yogurt will be stored in the fridge - save me washing the glass bowl)

Add 1/4 cup powdered milk and stir well.

Put the bowl of milk in the microwave and heat it on high power for 3 - 4 minutes. The temperature of the milk should reach 175 - 180  degrees F. (Time to reach 175 - 180 f depends on the wattage of your microwave)  After 4 minutes or more, check the temperature with a food thermometer.(Cooking the milk is to kill unnecessary bacteria present)

Allow the milk to cool down for a few minutes. Keep the thermometer in the bowl and let it cool down until the temperature reads 100 degrees F(Higher temp will kill the culture)

Add 2 tbsp.plain yogurt with active cultures to the milk. This serves as your starter. Stir well.

Cover the bowl with milk and yogurt with plastic wrap (my container has a lid, so i just close it with the lid)and wrap a dish towel around it to provide additional insulation.(It is hot now, summer, so i do not need to wrap with a dish towel, i left it on the counter).

The yogurt will be set eventually and when set, put in the refrigerator to chill, it will set further.(If you like your yogurt sour, keep it longer on the counter before chilling in the fridge)

Enjoy with fruits, granola etc, anything your heart desires.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received this  ALL-BRAN Bran Buds from Kellogg's and i have been enjoying it with my yogurt every morning.  Thank you Kellogg's.

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 Serves