Making home-made yogurt

Before this, i have made yogurt several times before until last weekend i wanted to try again as this is a favorite desserts at home these days. Since this is a "cold" food and to share with the public, i decided to take an extra step to sterilize the utensils that would be in contact with the food. I recall never having to suffer diarrhea eating yogurt without sterilizing the utensils. But i leave to you to decide whether the need to sterilize them ;-). The above yogurt was one of the few cups that i made for my family a week ago with mango pieces.

Basic Ingredients:
A liter (1000 cc) of fresh milk or those packet drinks you may find them in supermarkets. (good for 5 or 6 servings but since it can last for at least a week or more, making more would be all right);

2 tablespoon of plain yogurt (buy a cup for consumption, leaving 2 tablespoon as a starter);

1 set of double-boiler pot (as above) used as a warmer as these pots can retain heat much longer than ordinary pot or any other ways to keep the mixture warm.

1 tablespoon(metal);

Thermometer ( it's okay if you don't have as i did not have one earlier but having it gives you more assurance);

Fruit of your choice to make some puree.

Method
Fill up a pot with water (1/4 filled) and heat up the water until it boils; then reduce heating to low. (this could be either a standalone pot or the bigger pot of a double boiler)

Make use of this boiling water to sterilize the anything to be used such as spoon, pot, containers (but not those not made of metal);

For double-boiler, keep the pot of hot water for use later. Use another pot for heating the milk.

Heat up milk gently until it froths (mass of small bubbles forming on the surface of the milk) or at 85C.

Or you can use the double-boiler to heat-up the milk (with smaller pot of milk sitting on the bigger pot of boiling water). This would take a slightly longer time for the milk to froth. Remove heat when it froths

Let it cool to 43C (warm). Placing the pot of hot milk on some cold water will help quicken the process. Stir occasionally.

Then, add in the starter and mix them thoroughly. Then leave it aside, undisturbed (no stirring) and keeping the milk-mixture warm throughout the period.

Using a double-boiler helps to warm the milk-mixture throughout the period. If not, think of other way to keep it warm like placing back on a hot stove occasionally or under the hot sun.

Cover with lid and wait seven hours. Meanwhile, prepare fruit purees (mango or any fruits that you prefer).

Scoop some mango fresh (about 1/4 of fruit)and cut into small pieces. Put them into a small pot; add 2 tablespoon of sugar and add in some water (1/4 cup); Heat up and boil for a few minutes or until it thickens; let it cool.

After about 7 hours, that's what you get- the milk curdled (thickens).


Stir vigorously to mix curds. Then pour into each cup or any suitable containers and mix each with some puree. Leave the cups of curdles overnight, preferably as if further thickens. Be sure to reserve 2-3 tbs of your yogurt for your next batch!

Cheers!