DIY Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt

Many folks have asked me for my yogurt recipe so here it is. First I must warn folks that I cook like I garden...somewhat haphazard. By that I mean I don't always measure everything out and I don't often use a thermometer. I built this recipe around the use of a Euro Cuisine Yogurt Maker which I found on Amazon for $27. I find I make about one batch a week.

Fruit sauce
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh fruit (chop up large fruit)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons corn starch
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir until it thickens. More cornstarch may be added if a thicker consistency is desired. Set aside to cool and prepare your yogurt.

Yogurt
If you are using the Euro Cuisine Yogurt maker you will need one jar of whole milk for each jar of yogurt you plan to make. For example my model carries up to 7 jars so I add 7 jars of milk to a medium sauce pan. Put the milk on medium high and using a wire whisk stir until the milk starts to foam on top. Then remove the milk from the heat and let it cool to a lukewarm temperature.

Once the milk is lukewarm add 5 tablespoons of Nancy's Yogurt: Plain Whole Milk and whisk into the milk. The reason I use Nancy's is that it contains live bacteria cultures and you would be surprised how many yogurts out there are pasteurized to death once you start to look. You can find Nancy's at New Seasons, Whole Foods or any natural foods co-op.

By this time the fruit sauce has cooled. Begin spooning the fruit evenly into every jar but one. You will want to set one jar aside. This jar will be the plain yogurt that you will save as your culture for the next batch. Once the desired amount of fruit has been added to each jar take the well whisked milk mixture and pour it gently over the top of the fruit sauce and fill to the top. Also fill your one empty jar with your milk mixture.

Place all your jars into your yogurt maker without lids and turn it on. You will want your yogurt to set for a minimum of 8 hours. After 8 hours or more you can remove your jars gently pouring off any standing liquid then replace the lids and refrigerate.