Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Homemade Frozen Yogurt

For some time I have been making my own yogurt at home. Today I got the clever idea of freezing it. Not sure how it will turn out, but I know it is healthy!

I have previously posted a yogurt recipe that I continue to use and alter. Here's the skinny in how you do it quickly.
In a crockpot on WARM setting, combine 4 cups pasteurized milk. If using raw milk, boil for one minute before placing in crockpot.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup your favorite live yogurt culture, Vanilla or Plain. I have used many varieties, from Great Value brand to Chobani, to Stonyfield Farms.
Add a pinch of your favorite seasonings/flavors. I used cardamom,
cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Lastly, add up to 1 cup of powdered instant milk, depending on the thickness of yogurt you prefer. I love it thick, so I add a lot.
Whisk all ingredients together and place lid on crockpot.
The mixture CANNOT cook. It is imperative that the warm setting on your crockpot does not kill the live cultures. To avoid this, I occasionally remove the lid and stir to release some heat.
Let the yogurt sit for 6-8 hours. When you check it there should be some separation of whey on top. This can be remixed in, but I prefer it thicker, so I drain it off. You may also use cheesecloth to strain off the whey if you have any.
You can eat it as it is now, sweeten it first, or add fruit, and freeze. I chose to add drained canned peaches from this summer's food storage and blend it all up together is a blender. Then I placed it in a container to freeze. If you choose to sweeten it, I recommend using honey, or Stevia. But you can also use refined granulated sugar.