Using a yogurt maker is simple. The most intimidating part, to beginners especially, is the preparation of the yogurt before putting it in the maker. But once you get the hang of it, you will realize that this is simple as well.

Yogurt makers have a simple task of providing heat to the mixture of milk and culture which in the end makes yogurt. Because of this, they do not come with a ton of features.

You will usually find an on/off switch and buttons for setting the timer. Some will also include a light indicator to let you know the machine is in operation. But do not be surprised to find none of these as models differ.

Using A Maker To Make Yogurt

Here are the steps to follow when making yogurt in a yogurt maker. This is just one recipe, and you can experiment, as well as finding other yogurt recipes people have used to make their own homemade versions. Of course, Greek yogurt and other variations require a slightly different process.

Ingredients

½ cup of yogurt starter

8 cups of milk

1/3 cup of powdered dry milk

Process

1. Get the milk ready by pouring it into a large bowl. If you are using whole milk, add 1/3 cup of powdered milk. However, you can also use half whole and half low-fat milk, it will be just fine.

2. Heat the milk to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature. If your yogurt maker came with one, you are welcome to use that as well. The heating process usually takes 20 – 30 minutes.

3. When that is done, cool the milk to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the same thermometer for assurance.  Since this process can take long, it is a good idea to speed it up.

Simply fill up a sink with ice water and put the bowl in. Additionally, you can stir. This will reduce the cooling time tremendously.

4. Once temperature drops to the desired level, add the starter. It has live active bacteria which is needed to make yogurt. Opt for plain yogurt to achieve the best results.

For simplicity, pour some milk into a smaller bowl to mix with the starter. You should stir thoroughly until it is evenly mixed. You can then mix it with the rest of the milk and stir for some seconds.

5. The next thing will be to put your mixture into the jars. This will depend on how many of these you have. I prefer to use one large container because it is easy to clean. Once in the container, close it with the lid.

You can then put the container in the maker and turn it on. If it has a timer, refer to your manual on how to set that up.

The fermentation process can take 6 – 12 hours, the longer the better. You might want to experiment with the time as each will produce different tastes. 

6. When the set time elapses, your milk-starter mixture will have turned into yogurt. But it will not be ready for consumption just yet. You will need to put it in a refrigerator for 2 – 10 hours. After that, you can enjoy it.

So basically, that is how you can use a yogurt maker. Most units come with a recipe book. You can use that if you want some variety. There is a video below which also shows you the steps of how to make Greek Yogurt, something many people have an interest in doing, which has an extra straining process involved.