How to Make Goat Milk Yogurt

If you don't live on a farm, you probably don't have a herd of dairy goats, and that's fine (indeed, we swear). Store-bought pasteurized goat's milk can be found in grocery stores across the country, making it easier to prepare portions of homemade yogurt. Because goat's milk yogurt is low in lactose, it is often a useful alternative for those who are allergic to cow's milk or hypersensitive to it. To make this homemade goat's milk yogurt, Avin and Eva Kilcher, authors of Homestead Kitchen, suggest using a yogurt maker or an enclosed refrigerator large enough to hold two 1-quart cans and a candy thermometer.Goat's Milk Yogurt is reprinted from Homestead Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Our Hearth to Yours by Avin Kilcher and Eva Kilcher. Published with permission of Pam Krauss Books, members of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2016, Eva and Avin Kilcher.
Pour 1/4 cup of milk into a small bowl and spread the gelatin evenly over the surface; do not pile it up or mix it up. Set aside to allow the gelatin to dissolve. Pour the remaining milk into a large saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Bring the milk to 180 ° F over medium heat; when it reaches 180 ° F, reduce the heat to low and maintain this temperature for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.Remove from heat and allow to cool. When the temperature of the milk drops to about 120 ° F, add the gelatin mixture and mix thoroughly. Let the milk cool until it reaches 108 ° F. To speed up this process, you can place the pot on an ice bath. Add yogurt starter culture or powdered yogurt culture, following the instructions on the package. Using a whisk, mix thoroughly, but not vigorously — you want to take care of your yogurt culture, as it is a living creature.Fill the cooler halfway with boiling water. Pour the fermented milk drink into two 1-liter cans, close the lids and put them in water. Close the refrigerator or yogurt maker and let stand for 5-10 hours. The longer it is aged, the harder and more tart the yogurt will be.When the yogurt is ready, refrigerate until ready to serve. It is best used for a couple of weeks.