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Kajmak
Clotted milk cream
Kajmak (кајмак): Serbian clotted milk cream, skimmed in layers and lightly salted
At the Zlatibor and Čačak markets, women sell kajmak from wide tubs, cut in soft ivory folds that taste of cooked milk, butter and a little salt. It is made by slowly heating rich milk, letting it settle in shallow pans and lifting off the thick skin that forms as it cools, then layering those skins with salt. This home version uses pasteurised milk and cream and stays in the fridge throughout; the long-aged, raw-milk kajmak of the villages is not something to copy at home. Spread it on warm lepinja or proja, or stir it into hot potatoes. A common mistake is letting the milk boil: the bubbles tear the skin and you end up with flecks instead of a thick sheet. Chef's tip: keep the skimmed milk left underneath for porridge, proja or pancakes; nothing goes to waste.
- Total time
- 1440 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 12 ½ cups whole milkpasteurised, non-homogenised if you can find it
- 1 ¼ cups double creampasteurised
- 1 tsp salt
- warm proja (cornbread) (optional)to serve; or any warm bread
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Pour 12 ½ cups whole milk and 1 ¼ cups double cream into a wide, heavy pan and heat over a medium heat, stirring now and then, for about 15 minutes, until the surface trembles and steams and a thermometer reads about 194°F. Do not let it boil.
15 minStep 2: Turn the heat to its lowest and keep the milk just below a simmer for 20 minutes without stirring, so a skin starts to form.
20 minStep 3: Pour the milk slowly and from a low height into two wide, shallow ceramic or glass dishes, so it fills them about 4 cm deep.
3 minStep 4: Leave to cool at room temperature, untouched, for no more than 1 hour, until lukewarm and a thick, wrinkled skin covers the top.
60 minStep 5: Cover loosely and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. The skin will be firm, creamy and about 5 mm thick.
1320 minStep 6: Run a knife round the edge of each dish, then lift the skin off in large pieces with a slotted spatula and lay it in a clean jar or tub.
5 minStep 7: Sprinkle each layer lightly with 1 tsp salt as you go, pressing the layers together gently.
2 minStep 8: Cover and keep in the fridge. Eat within 4 days, spread on warm proja (cornbread).
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kajmak take?
- About 1440 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 1410 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of double cream?
- Whipping cream, same amount (less rich; whips softer).
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