How to Make Your Own Yogurt in 5 Minutes

Want to make your own yogurt? It's easy! I tried it for the first time a couple of days ago with spectacular results. There are a lot of recipes out there and a lot of different ways of making it, many of them very complicated. Here's an easy version that doesn't require any special equipment. You won't actually have yogurt after five minutes, but it only takes about five minutes worth of work.

You will need a container in which to keep your yogurt warm. You can use a thermos or a plastic cooler or you can make an insulated box. I made one from a cardboard box which I lined with several layers of bubble wrap.

1. Heat some milk on the stove. Heating in a double boiler is best, but if you don't have one, heat the milk in a saucepan on low heat while stirring constantly. You must keep stirring or the milk on the bottom will scald.

2. Just before it begins to boil, it will start to foam a little on top. At this point, remove the heat. Pour your milk into a clean container (I like to use a Mason jar as glass is easier to clean than plastic and it is heat-resistant) or into your thermos if you are using a thermos. Cover but do not seal the milk.

3. When the milk has cooled enough that you can just touch it comfortably without being burned, add about one teaspoon of live active culture yogurt (I started with store bought, but once you start making it, you'll have a continuous culture to use) per two cups of milk. You must be sure that your yogurt says it contains "live active cultures." Stir a few times.

4. Seal your container and place it in your warm box alongside a large container or two of very hot water. This will keep your yogurt warm while it cures.

5. Leave it to cure for about 5-12 hours, depending on how sour you want it. Many people leave it overnight. Once finished, you can eat it as-is or add sugar and fruit or frozen berries to suit your taste. Finished yogurt must be refrigerated.

The type of yogurt you want will determine how long you leave it to cure. If you leave it for a short time, say four or five hours, you will end up with a very mild-tasting liquid yogurt which you can drink just like the store brand drinkable yogurts. The longer you let it sit, the more sour and hard it will get, much like the store brand yogurts. The optimal time is about 8 hours.

Be sure that you do not disturb the yogurt until you are ready to use it. Stirring the yogurt before it is finished can cause it to take longer.