Weekend project: Homemade and Greek-style yogurt

Ever thought about making your own yogurt, but thought the process was too involved, or that you might need special equipment or supplies? A while back, cookbook legend Marion Cunningham did a piece on quick fruit-based desserts for Food. She included a simple technique for homemade yogurt, no special equipment or starters required:

“One of the best companions to all fruits is yogurt, and homemade yogurt is leagues better than what you buy in the store. Not only is it more wholesome, it is much cheaper than buying ready-made. Flavor your yogurt with fresh fruits and berries, preserves or grated lemon zest.

“You do have to have a yogurt starter, though, and since most of us don’t have friends we can get it from, you will probably have to start with commercial yogurt for your first batch. But after that, you’re set. Save some of the yogurt from the first batch you make for the starter of your next batch. With each succeeding batch, your yogurt will get better and better.”

Made this way, you can have a batch of homemade yogurt in about a day.

GREEK-STYLE YOGURT

Love Greek-style yogurt? Although it has that great tang you find with standard yogurt, what sets Greek yogurt apart is its wonderfully rich texture, which is noticeably thicker than most of the other yogurts you’ll find at the market. Greek-style yogurts, like other yogurt products such as labneh and yogurt cheese, are strained of excess liquid (whey) to give them that signature consistency.

Strained yogurts are easy to make at home. Simply spoon yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl (you can also use a coffee filter or linen dish towel). Set the strainer and bowl in the fridge for a few hours until you get the consistency you want, keeping in mind that you may lose up to half of the volume of yogurt you started with (ever wonder why Greek yogurt is more expensive?). After straining, it’s ready to use. Voila.

Check out the video above for a demonstration on homemade yogurt, and continue reading below for the Cunningham’s yogurt recipe.

Cooking is fun – at least it should be! No matter how long you’ve been in the kitchen, there is always something new to learn, whether it’s a simple twist on an old technique, or a handy tip to save time and energy. In this series of short videos, I demonstrate a variety of kitchen tips, including how to hold a chef’s knife for maximum control and using a spoon to peel fresh ginger. If you have any gadgets, kitchen tips or questions you’d like me to explore, leave a comment below or shoot me an email at noelle.carter@latimes.com.

HOMEMADE YOGURT

1 quart milk

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

Bring milk just to boil in saucepan over medium heat, about 1 minute. Let cool to 115 degrees.

Gently stir in plain yogurt (the starter) and pour into crockery or glass bowl. Cover snugly with plastic wrap and set in warm spot. (Gas oven with just its pilot light on or electric oven with its interior light burning is ideal. Or put it in warm corner of kitchen draped with a blanket to protect from drafts.)

Let sit until it holds together when bowl is tilted, 5 to 8 hours. Chill 3 hours to allow it to firm even more. (If yogurt sets for too long or if you use too much starter it will be watery.) Yogurt will keep refrigerated about 1 week.

1 quart. Each 1/4-cup serving: 32 calories; 32 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0 fiber.

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