Italian Inspirations

Buongiorno e buona domenica! Good morning and happy Sunday!

My newfound homemade yogurt recipe turned out so well that I was inspired to have breakfast in bed today… The tray was complete with fresh carrot juice, doppio ristretto (double shot of espresso), buttered english muffins and my new favorite homemade preserve–gingered rhubarb jam–which I confess I like to stir into my yogurt and spread on my toast.

Homemade Yogurt Recipe, Greek-style if you please

Ingredients (yield 1 qt. of fresh yogurt)
2 Tbsp. Yogurt, with live cultures (Fage Greek yogurt works great)
2 Tbsp. Fresh Milk, any milkfat, raw or pasteurized
1 Qt. Fresh Milk (minus the 2 Tbsp. above)

Directions
1. Stir 2 Tbsp. Yogurt into 2 Tbsp. Milk and let rest at room temp.
2. Heat the rest of the quart of Milk in a pot until it is foamy, before boiling. Do not let milk scald on the bottom of the pan–stir often.
3. Remove milk from heat and allow to cool to about 115-120 degrees F. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 150 degrees F and then turn off.
4. Gently stir yogurt and milk mixture into warm milk and place in a glass container wrapped in a towel into the warmed oven. The yogurt will develop overnight or between 8-10 hours at a warm temperature. Leaving the light on in the oven should allow it to stay at an ideal, constant temperature. After 11-12 hours, the yogurt will begin to become more acidic, so make sure to check it before then.
5. To make it greek-style, put yogurt in a butter muslin-lined colander and strain the whey. To get a very thick and creamy product, you may strain twice. For lactose-intolerance, eliminating whey will help you digest and enjoy this homemade treat.
6. Enjoy with honey, preserves, fruit, granola, etc. or blend with your favorite ingredients to make a smoothie.

Buon appetito!