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Skyr
Skyr: thick, tangy Icelandic cultured skimmed milk
Skyr has been made in Iceland since the Viking settlers arrived: skimmed milk soured with a spoonful of the last batch, set with a drop of rennet, then strained until very thick, high in protein and mildly sour. Icelanders eat it every day with milk or cream and berries, or whisked into a drink, and skyrkaka is a favourite cheesecake. You need a few spoonfuls of plain shop skyr with live cultures as a starter. A common mistake is skipping the long, slow set; rushed skyr is thin and grainy. Chef's tip: strain it in the fridge overnight and stir it smooth before serving. Rennet is traditionally animal; use vegetarian rennet.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the skyr
- 8 ¼ cups skimmed milk
- 3 drops vegetarian liquid rennetin 2 tbsp cool water
To serve
- ½ cup single cream or milk
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 8 ¼ cups skimmed milk to 194°F, stirring, then cool it to 104°F. This takes about 45 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Mix 4 tbsp plain skyr with live cultures with a cup of the warm milk and stir it into the pan. Stir in 3 drops vegetarian liquid rennet.
Step 3: Cover and keep warm (about 100°F) for 6–8 hours, wrapped in a blanket or in an oven with the light on, until set firmly.
Step 4: Cut the set curd into cubes and ladle into a sieve lined with cheesecloth over a bowl. Strain in the fridge for 8–12 hours, until very thick. Common mistake: a short set; it stays thin.
Step 5: Stir until smooth and serve with ½ cup single cream or milk and 7 oz bilberries or blueberries. Keeps a week in the fridge; keep 4 tbsp as starter.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does skyr take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 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.
- What can I use instead of skimmed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of single cream or milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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