"Jonathan Sachs" > wrote in message
...
>I recently bought a yogurt maker, and have used it about a half dozen
> times. I'm having a problem reusing one batch of yogurt starter for
> the next. The instructions warned me that after a few batches the
> starter would get "tired," and I would have to start over with
> commercial starter. That would be fine, but the starter is not
> lasting for a few batches. The first time I use it the result is
> thinner than the original; the second time it's unusable.
>
> I'm following the directions I got, but they're vague. I wonder if
> I'm doing something wrong. I put a half cup of each new batch in a
> separate clean container, which I store in the fridge next to the
> regular container. When I make the next batch I stir in the half cup
> just before I put the batch in the yogurt maker.
>
> Any ideas?

Yes. Others may differ. This is my fool-proof way. (I tried the
half-cup -- forget it; 5 teaspoons total is enough)

Don't bother using your just-made yogurt for a starter.
Buy a good brand of yogurt from the grocery store. Look at the date. It
should last a couple of weeks.

Heat your milk to no higher than 110. Shoot for between 100-110. I do this
in a quart pyrex bowl for 2min30seconds in my microwave.

Into a separate very small bowl, put 2 teaspoons of yogurt and enough milk
to dissolve it.

Pour this mixture back into the 2 qt. heated milk, and stir well.

Put in 3 teaspoons of yogurt into this same very small bowl with enough milk
from the 2 qt. heated milk (that now has a bit of yogurt in it) to dissolve
it.

Pour this back into the 2 qt. heated milk and stir well.

Pour into you yogurt maker.

Mine takes about 8 hours.