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Making plain yogurt is easier than it sounds. Check out recipes and test different types of homemade yogurt

Image of Michele Henderson on Unsplash

Traditional yogurt is the result of the fermentation of milk by probiotic bacteria. This process improves the digestibility of the food, which makes yogurt in general less indigestible than fresh milk. Natural yogurt is a source of vitamins, calcium and proteins, but in general its price is a little high. But it's not difficult to make plain yogurt at home - and if you're lactose intolerant or don't consume animal products, be aware that it's also possible to make lactose-free yogurt and even vegan yogurt with probiotics.

How to make plain yogurt

Check out how-to yogurt recipes for various tastes and eating patterns.

Natural yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 liter of type A whole milk
• 1 pot of unsweetened natural yoghurt (170 g)

Method of preparation

• Remove the yogurt from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature;
• Preheat oven to 240 ºC for 15 minutes. Then turn off the oven and leave the door closed to keep the heat in;
• While the oven heats up, place the milk in a medium saucepan and bring to low heat. Gently stir with a spatula for about 15 minutes until foam begins to form on the surface;
• Do not let it boil. At this stage it is important to stir to prevent the cream from forming. If you are using a cooking thermometer, measure the temperature and turn it off when the milk reaches 90°C;
• Transfer the milk to a ceramic bowl, glass, or iron pot – the more heat the container holds, the better;
• Wait for the milk to warm, stirring occasionally. To check the temperature, place your index finger inside the milk – you should be able to hold it for 10 seconds. If you are using a culinary thermometer, the ideal temperature at this time is 45°C;
• This is the key point of the recipe: if the milk is too hot, it kills the microorganisms responsible for the formation of yogurt; if it is too cold, it does not stimulate the growth and activity of microorganisms.
• In a small bowl place the yogurt and mix well with a ladle of warm milk until dissolved. Add the mixture to the rest of the milk, mixing gently.
• Take the mixture to ferment: cover the bowl with film and wrap it in a thick cloth or blanket – the idea is to keep the milk warm. Place the wrapped bowl inside the heated oven (off) and leave for at least 8 hours to form yogurt (this process can take 8 to 12 hours, depending on room temperature).
• If you prefer, instead of fermenting the mixture in the large bowl, you can distribute it in individual glass jars with a lid.

lactose free yogurt

To make a homemade lactose-free yogurt, just follow the same steps in the recipe above, but using lactose-free dairy products. If you are only lactose intolerant, this should allow you to consume lactose-free yogurt without any problems.

The video below shows a simplified version of the lactose-free yogurt recipe:

vegan yogurt

This recipe yields 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of vegetable milk
• Approx. 1/4 cup of cooked and mashed yam or green banana biomass
• 1 sachet of probiotic
• 1/2 to 1 lemon
• Natural sweetener of your choice to taste

Method of preparation

• Beat the vegetable milk and yam, or green banana biomass, in a blender, until the mixture is very creamy and homogeneous. Be careful with the consistency of vegan yoghurt, as after refrigeration it will become firmer;
• Pour the mixture into a bowl and mix the sachet of probiotics. Shake well;
• Add sweetener and mix;
• Finally, add the squeezed lemon.
• Store in refrigerator and consume within 4 days.