PREP: 30 minutes SLOW COOK: 5 minutes (high) + 5 minutes (high) per hour of stand time STAND: 4 hours CHILL: 4 hours MAKES: 4 pints
8 cups whole milk* (½ gal.)
¼ cup plain unsweetened yogurt containing active yogurt cultures, at room temperature
1. In a 4-qt. saucepan heat milk over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer inserted in milk registers 180°F to 185°F, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Let stand at room temperature until thermometer registers 110°F to 113°F, stirring well before checking temperature. (Or cool milk more quickly by placing the saucepan in ice water for a few minutes.)
2. In a small bowl stir together 1 cup of the warm milk and the unsweetened yogurt, whisking until smooth. While stirring constantly, slowly pour the milk-yogurt mixture back into the milk in saucepan. Ladle mixture into four clean pint canning jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and screw bands.
3. Place filled jars in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Pour enough lukewarm water (about 108°F) into the cooker to reach just over halfway up sides of jars. Cover cooker and cook on high 5 minutes. Turn off cooker, wrap cooker with a thick towel, and let stand about 4 hours or until yogurt is thick, turning on cooker to high for 5 minutes every hour.
4. Remove jars from cooker. Chill 4 hours or until yogurt is set. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. If desired, reserve some of the yogurt as a starter for a future batch.
Flavored Yogurt: Before adding the yogurt to the cooled milk mixture in Step 2, stir in 1 Tbsp. vanilla or instant espresso coffee powder.
Fruited Yogurt: Before chilling the yogurt, stir 2 Tbsp. mashed ripe fruit (such as blueberries, raspberries, peach, or mango) into each jar.
Greek Yogurt: After chilling the yogurt, transfer it to a strainer lined with a double layer of 100%-cotton cheesecloth and set the strainer over a bowl. Drain the yogurt until it reaches desired consistency (1 hour to overnight). You can use the whey liquid in the bowl for smoothies, baking, or whatever you like.
*Recipe Note: For low-fat yogurt, substitute low-fat milk for the whole milk.
PER ½ CUP YOGURT, PLAIN OR VARIATIONS: 84 cal., 4 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 13 mg chol., 67 mg sodium, 7 g carb., 0 g fiber, 5 g pro.