THE DAIRY PRODUCTS YOU WILL FIND in this chapter start simply—with milk or cream and some sort of culturing or curdling agent. It’s my intention to provide a useful repertoire of dairy products boiled down to a few simple formulas and techniques. If you are interested in learning more about making your own dairy products or getting into more complicated cheeses, there are
resources
in the back of this book to help you.

There is nothing more satisfying than watching your own fresh cheese form curds or tasting your own homemade tangy yogurt or creamy cultured butter for the first time. Many commercial dairy products are full of artificial flavors, stabilizers, and colors. Not so with homemade. And it’s a simple process that anyone can master. All you need is good milk or cream and a few simple tools. The dairy products in this chapter can be made by anyone, in any home kitchen. The methods are simple and streamlined and avoid the use of special equipment whenever possible. You’ll find four fresh and delicious homemade dairy products and a variety of special recipes that utilize them—everything from pasta to crêpes to a cake.

Yogurt

Plain, full-fat yogurt is a staple in my house. I eat it for breakfast with honey, fresh fruit, and
Granola Your Way
. It’s also great with maple syrup or jam stirred in. Sometimes I drizzle it into
whole-grain porridge
; drain it to transform it into thick, creamy dressings and dips; dollop it on
Simple Dal
or spicy grilled chicken; blend it with fresh summer fruit into smoothies; or add it to baked goods for a luscious tang. It’s very easy to make yogurt without a yogurt maker, but you will need a method for keeping your yogurt warm while it cultures. Read the
FAQs
before getting started
.

TIME REQUIRED:
20 minutes active; 20 minutes passive, but watchful; 8 to 10 hours passive

YIELD:
1 quart

1 quart of the best milk available (I use non-homogenized, full-fat organic cow’s milk from a local dairy, but you can use low-fat milk if you prefer)

2 tablespoons plain yogurt with active cultures, or 1 teaspoon powdered yogurt starter

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

A candy or dairy thermometer (optional but helpful)

A one-quart mason jar

A whisk that will fit into the mason jar

Pour the milk into a large saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Heat it slowly, stirring occasionally, until it is just below the boiling point, about 20 minutes. Watch carefully and do not allow it to boil. If you have a thermometer, the milk should be about 185 degrees F. There are some visual and olfactory cues to look for if you don’t have a thermometer. Tiny bubbles will form just under the skin that covers the surface of the milk. The surface will undulate slightly, but the bubbles shouldn’t break the surface. The milk will have a cheesy, scalded aroma. Once the milk reaches this state, hold it there for 5 minutes.

While you wait for the milk to come up to temperature, sterilize a 1-quart mason jar and its lid with boiling water. Let them air-dry. Warm a large pot of water for a water bath, if using.

Once the milk has remained at 185 degrees F for 5 minutes, remove it from the heat and let it cool down to 115 degrees F, stirring occasionally. This will take 20 to 30 minutes.

Put the yogurt or starter in the bottom of the sterilized mason jar and add about ½ cup of the cooled milk. Whisk to blend well. Add the remaining cooled milk, stirring well to distribute the cultures throughout. Fasten the lid and place the jar in your incubator of choice for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove the jar from the incubator and refrigerate it until cool before eating. If your yogurt is a little lumpy, simply whisk it smooth before eating. If you would like thicker yogurt, strain it to the desired thickness in a coffee filter set in a strainer over a bowl. The whey that drains off can be used to
soak grains, cook beans, or ferment beets
.

Easy Yogurt Cheese

Drain 1 quart of yogurt in the refrigerator in a coffee filter set over a strainer for 12 hours and you have yogurt cheese. It’s sublime with fresh, sweet strawberries and makes an impressive appetizer with olive oil and the Middle Eastern spice za’atar. Serve it with
Ajvar
,
assorted pickles
, and
Whole-Wheat Sesame Crackers
. One quart of yogurt yields about 1
cups of yogurt cheese
.

Frequently Asked Yogurt Questions

WHY MAKE YOGURT?

1. If you find yourself drowning in plastic yogurt containers, making your own yogurt will solve that problem.

2. It may be difficult for you to find good-quality, plain yogurt without additives, gums, or thickeners.

3. Sometimes supermarket yogurt is super-heated, which kills some of the beneficial live cultures.

4. You’ll save money because fresh, organic milk is less expensive than organic yogurt.

CAN I USE A YOGURT MAKER?

You can buy a yogurt maker if you want to be completely foolproof, but all you really need is yogurt starter, a thermometer, and a method for keeping your yogurt at a steady 90 to 100 degrees F for 8 to 10 hours.

WHAT KIND OF STARTER SHOULD I USE?

You can use plain store-bought active yogurt, and your own homemade yogurt after that, or powdered yogurt culture bought in a grocery or natural foods store. Powdered culture will give you more consistent results and is necessary if you forget to hold back some yogurt for the next batch.

Powdered starter is available in small jars in the refrigerated section where dietary supplements are sold. The directions on the jar will tell you how much to use. You can also purchase yogurt starter from a
cheese supply house
.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO INCUBATE YOGURT?

You may have to experiment a couple of times until you find the method that works best for you, but below are a few ideas.

1. Put a quart jar of ripening yogurt in a large pot of water heated to 90 to 100 degrees F and keep the whole thing in the oven overnight with the light on, or in a gas oven with the pilot light on.

2. Wrap the jar in a black plastic garbage bag and leave it in the sun on an 80- to 85-degree-F day for about 8 hours.

3. Put the yogurt in a warm water bath and set the whole thing in an insulated cooler with towels wrapped around it for 8 to 10 hours.

4. Wrap a heating pad set on low around a jar of ripening yogurt for 8 to 10 hours.

5. Make the yogurt directly in a pre-warmed insulated thermos and keep it in a warm place while it cultures.

Beet and Turnip Salad with Yogurt and Herbs

This salad is the essence of uncomplicated deliciousness. All you do is steam the vegetables, whisk herbs into the Yogurt, and toss it together. Because the turnips will cook faster than the beets, steam the vegetables separately or use a two-level steamer that allows you to cook both at once, separately. Vary the herbs according to your taste and what’s in your garden
.

TIME REQUIRED:
10 minutes active; 25 minutes passive (excluding yogurt preparation)

YIELD:
4 servings

1 pound Tokyo (small white) or golden turnips, trimmed, or regular turnips, quartered

1 pound medium beets, trimmed

cup
Yogurt

1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill Pinch of fresh thyme

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the turnips and beets on separate levels of a two-level steamer. If you only have one level, start the beets first as they will take 5 to 10 minutes longer. Turn the heat to medium, bring to a boil, and steam until the vegetables are tender, checking the water level occasionally, and adding more if necessary. The turnips will take about 15 minutes and the beets about 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, chives, parsley, dill, and thyme (or whatever herbs you are using). Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Remove the vegetables from the heat, let cool, and peel the beets. Cut the beets and turnips into bite-sized wedges and transfer them to a medium bowl. Pour the herbed yogurt over, toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

TIP
:
The yogurt can be mixed with the herbs a couple of hours ahead of time, and the vegetables can be steamed and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead. It’s best not to mix the vegetables and yogurt until you are ready to serve, as the beets stain the salad and the yogurt becomes watery. If you’ve cooked the vegetables ahead and refrigerated them, bring them to room temperature before tossing with the yogurt and serving
.

Stone Fruit–Yogurt Cake With Cornmeal and Walnut Streusel