Dear homemade yoghurt

Dear homemade yoghurt

Right - let me get this straight. I was excited to buy your culture from Cheeselinks and ever so happy when my Mum gave me my cooking thermometer. I couldn't wait to try you out.

So I tried you out straight away. It might have taken 12 hours of sitting for you to set, but set you did. But you tasted disgusting. Yes, there is no other word for it - disgusting. I hadn't sweetened you so you were as sour as rancid milk. But dear Justin mixed you up with some vanilla and ate you up, just so you weren't wasted. What a sweetie he is.

Then I did attempt two. I added in more milk powder and a teaspoon of vanilla to sweeten you up. I watched you and carefully kept you warm for 24 hours - but you didn't set. How was I to know the alcohol in the vanilla would kill off your little bacteria? First litre of beautiful milk wasted. Sorry, bacteria.

So I got to attempt number three a couple of days ago. I added sugar this time - no alcohol indulgence for your bacteria - and carefully brewed you and popped you into your EasiYo container to stay warm until you set. After 24 hours you hadn't set. I am now starting to think I have killed all of the bacteria I bought by not sterilising my jar properly. Another litre of milk wasted. Time wasted - more time on Google finding out what I did wrong.

And now today I am on attempt four - almost two litres of milk thus far! A little milk powder, a little sugar - and into the oven you went at 10am. I am sitting here working with the fabric but all I can do is think about you, dear sweet homemade yoghurt. Please set....puh-lease set!

PS. I hope I didn't kill your bacteria...