Domashno Kiselo Mlyako (Homemade Bulgarian Yogurt)
Bulgaria's signature yogurt, cultured at home with the country's own Lactobacillus bulgaricus strain - boiling the milk fully before cooling it back down to just body-warm, rather than starting from cold milk, is what kills off competing bacteria so the culture can set the yogurt into a thick, tangy custard instead of a thin, inconsistent one.
⏱ 480 min🍽 6 servings
breakfastvegetarian
Ingredients
- •4 cups whole milk
- •3 tbsp plain Bulgarian yogurt with live cultures, at room temperature
Steps
- 1.Pour the milk into a pot and bring it to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes - this kills off any competing bacteria that would otherwise fight with the yogurt culture.
- 2.Remove from the heat and let cool until just warm to the touch, about 113°F - if you can hold your finger in it comfortably for a few seconds, it's ready. Too hot and it will kill the culture; too cool and it won't set properly.
- 3.Whisk 2-3 tablespoons of the warm milk into the yogurt starter in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk this mixture back into the rest of the warm milk.
- 4.Pour into a clean jar or a few small jars, cover, and wrap in a towel or blanket to hold the warmth.
- 5.Set in a warm, draft-free spot (like an oven with just the light on) and leave completely undisturbed for 6-8 hours - moving or jostling the jars during this time is what keeps the culture from setting into a smooth, firm curd.
- 6.Once set, refrigerate for at least 4 hours before eating - it firms up further and develops its full tang once chilled. Save 2-3 tablespoons of this batch to start the next one.