I was inspired to do some reading about yogurt-making.  There&#39;s some debate about whether to scald the milk.  The two main reasons to do so are to have more consistent results (by destroying competing bacteria and enzymes) and to produce a smoother texture (by unfolding the milk proteins at that temperature).  The main reasons not to scald the milk would be to preserve some nutrition and probiotics (especially when using raw milk) and to save energy/time.  Everyone seems to suggest at least warming the milk (minimally 100, maximally 110 if using raw milk and not wanting to destroy enzymes).  I think any less and the milk will naturally curdle before the yogurt can set, but it would be interesting to experiment!<br /><br />It looks like Harold McGee (NYT) had success making yogurt inside containers wrapped in a towel or blanket, so that might be a slightly easier way.  Another idea is to use a Thermos.  Most of the recipes suggest sealing the container with a lid if it has one.<br /><br />I&#39;m also tempted to experiment with goat milk and sheep milk.  It sounds like yogurt made from sheep milk is the bomb!