Pourable Vanilla-Cardamom Yogurt with Cherries

Steps

1. Wash a heavy pot, whisk, thermometer, small bowl and a clean quart jar with lid in hot soapy water, rinse well and sanitize them with boiling water; let air dry.
2. Heat: pour the commercially pasteurized 2% milk into the pot and heat over medium-low, stirring often so it doesn't scorch, until it reaches 180°F (82°C). Hold it between 180°F and 185°F (82–85°C) for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
3. Cool: take the pot off the heat and cool the milk to 108–112°F (42–44°C), about 30–40 minutes, or set the pot in a sink of cold water to speed it up, stirring and checking with the thermometer.
4. Add starter: once the milk is at 108–112°F (42–44°C), whisk the plain yogurt with live active cultures in the small bowl with a ladleful of the warm milk until smooth, then stir it back into the pot.
5. Incubate: pour the milk into the jar, cover, and keep it at 108–112°F (42–44°C) for 6 hours (an oven with only the light on, a yogurt maker or a cooler with warm water), undisturbed, until lightly set; a 6-hour set keeps it pourable.
6. Refrigerate: immediately move the yogurt to the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below and chill at least 4 hours. This yields about 1,000 g (4 cups) of pourable yogurt with no draining, so the nutrition matches the starting ingredients.
7. While the yogurt chills, toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden, then cool. Toss the cherries with half the brown sugar.
8. Whisk the chilled yogurt with the vanilla, the cardamom and the remaining half of the brown sugar until smooth and pourable.
9. Pour the yogurt into 4 glasses or bowls, top with the sugared cherries and the toasted almonds, and serve cold. Keep leftovers refrigerated.