Once you make your own yogurt at home, you won't want any other!
Supplies needed:
Instapot with "yogurt" button
Candy thermometer
Large bowl
Ladle
Whisk
2 cup measuring cup
Fine mesh strainer that can fit into large bowl
Coffee filters
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon of milk (2% or whole)
2 TBSP of store bought yogurt (Fage is best because it includes live active cultures needed for this recipe)
Ingredients to flavor yogurt:
Vanilla extract or vanilla paste
Honey
Add milk to your Instapot.
Secure the lid on your Instapot. Set valve to sealing or venting - either is fine.
Press the "Yogurt" button. The word "BOIL" will pop up on the display. If it does not, hit "Cancel" & hit the "Yogurt" button again. If nothing shows up, hit "Yogurt" a 2nd time until BOIL shows on display. Depending on which type of Instapot you have, the functions are different.
Once "BOIL" shows on display, give your Instapot time to warm up the milk to a hot temperature. At this point, the milk will scald. The Instapot will beep when it's finished (Approximately 10-15 minutes).
Remove the lid & your Instapot will show "YOGURT" on the display. Do not press any buttons or turn off. Leave Instapot as is. Insert thermometer into milk. Milk needs to be between 180-185 degrees. If milk is at this temperature, remove the inner pot from your Instapot. If milk is NOT at this temperature, replace lid & repeat the steps above to allow milk to come to 180-185 temperature.
Once the milk is at 180-185 temperature, fill large bowl with cold water. Set the pot with milk inside the bowl to cool to 100-110 degrees. Use whisk to remove any "skin" that forms on top of milk & discard.
Add 2 TBSP of yogurt with active cultures into a 2 cup measuring cup. No more or less than 2 TBSP or your yogurt will be too thick or too runny.
Use ladle to add some milk into 2 cup measuring cup & whisk together. This part of the recipe allows the active cultures to start developing in your new yogurt. If your milk is too hot (over 110) or too cold (under 100 degrees), the active cultures won't work.
Pour 2 cup mixture into Instapot & whisk. If milk splattered on the outside or bottom of pot, wipe with clean towel & return to Instapot.
Place lid on Instapot. Valve can be on Sealing or Venting. Yogurt never pressure cooks so either is fine.
Instapot display should reflect "YOGURT" from when you removed the pot of milk. Press + or - to adjust the display to show 10:00 (10 hours). It takes this long for the active cultures to combine with milk to make the yogurt. Kick back & relax!
After 10 hours, the Instapot will beep. Remove the lid.
Set a fine mesh strainer inside large bowl. Line strainer with coffee filters - you want it covered completely.
Pour yogurt into the mesh strainer. You want there to be space between the strainer & bottom of bowl so extra liquid can strain out. Cover with plastic wrap & set in refrigerator at least 10 hours.
After 10 hours has passed, the mixture will be strained & ready to eat!
Stir in vanilla or honey if you wish.
Enjoy!
Yogurt will last approximately 3 weeks in refrigerator.
Helpful reminder: Make sure you save at least 2 TBSP of this batch so you can use it for your next batch of yogurt. This way, you'll never have to buy store bought again!