From Darina Kopcok

This yogurt will add depth and flavour to a variety of dishes. In Balkan cooking, it is often used as a substitute for sour cream or salad dressing, or as a topping for moussaka and spanakopita. Because yogurt is highly acidic, it’s also great as a low-fat substitute in baking. Cakes made with yogurt are moist and fluffy and very popular in Mediterranean cuisines. Balkan yogurt tastes wonderful just sweetened with honey and served with fruit or a sprinkling of nuts or granola.

• 8 cups (2 litres) milk (preferably whole)
• 1⁄4 cup (60mL) plain yogurt with active cultures
• candy thermometer
• sterilized glass jar

Put a clean bowl in the oven and preheat the oven to 100°F.

Heat the milk on a medium-low burner until it reaches 180°F on a candy thermometer. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. It will form a skin on top and bubble on the sides, but will not boil.

Cool the milk until it reaches 110°F. Add the yogurt starter and whisk together to incorporate. Pour into the warmed bowl and put back in the oven. Keep it there for four hours without disturbing. (If your oven doesn’t go as low as 100°F, turn on the oven light and wrap the bowl in a towel that has been warmed in the dryer. Keep the yogurt in the oven for six hours instead of four.)

Strain for a thicker product, if desired. Store in the refrigerator in a sterilized jar for up to a week. You may use some of your homemade yogurt as a starter for your next batch; however, this should be done within a week, to ensure the bacteria are still fresh. They will lose their effectiveness over time, so every once in a while you should use store-bought yogurt as a starter.