Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 teaspoons gelatin (for Paleo OR 1-½ teaspoons agar-agar powder (or 4 teaspoons agar flakes) for Vegan)
  • 3 capsules probiotic (or yogurt starter like this one)
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup (or 2 dates, softened in hot water for 30 minutes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instruction

  • Make Oat Milk: In high powered blender, purée water and rolled oats for 30 seconds on medium speed. (If you wish, first add any of the Optional Ingredients listed above, and then purée.) Pour milk through 2 layers of cheesecloth or a nut milk bag to remove the solids. Do not squeeze out the extra liquid all the way, but you may briefly press out a little. (You'll get a creamy light outcome and no goopy texture by not squeezing solids. A little pressing/squeezing does create a creamier yogurt that's a little gooey in a nice way.)
  • Place Oat Milk into large saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin OR, for Vegan, agar-agar over the surface, and allow to dissolve for 2 minutes for gelatin OR 5 minutes for agar-agar. Whisk it in. (To use the Instant Pot for this stage, see recipe Notes below.)
  • Heat gently over medium heat, whisking. No lumps will form if you haven't squeezed out the extra liquid from the oats when making oat milk. (If you whisk constantly, no lumps will form either way.) But the mixture will gradually, subtly and nicely thicken a little.
  • For the gelatin version, heat until very steamy and almost simmering (and/or you can no longer hold a finger in the liquid for more than a second without it being too hot). For the Vegan agar-agar version, simmer for 5 minutes to dissolve the thickener, whisking continually as it thickens slightly. Reduce heat as needed to low or medium-low. (Including cooling time, this important cooking time allows the agar to maintain a total of 10 minutes at the required 190° temperature it needs to gel). Allow to cool slightly, for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Cool to 110° F with an instant-read thermometer. Sprinkle probiotic or vegan yogurt starter over the surface, and whisk in. (If you don’t have a thermometer, here’s a way to test with your finger for 110º.)
  • Pour into desired culturing container. Ferment 10 to 24 hours. The longer it ferments, the tarter it will get and the more probiotics it will have.
  • To culture in the Instant Pot: Press "Yogurt" button. Use the +/- button to adjust the incubation time. You can use the clear glass lid or the lock on lid; it doesn't matter.
  • Sweeten to taste, or chill and then sweeten, as desired. Refrigerate to fully thicken the yogurt.